And I did nothing, because I was not a salmon…
Feds deny endangered species protection for 2 Chinook salmon species
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Two species of Chinook salmon will not be added to the federal endangered species list.
In a report published Dec. 8, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the Oregon Coast Chinook salmon, as well as the Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal Chinook salmon, do not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.
You know the last time I spoke with Michael Pollock about this he said the Northern California salmon was basically already a lost cause. But that was a couple years ago when we were planning the Summit. I guess they must have got all better since then.
The decision follows a 2022 petition from the Native Fish Society, Center for Biological Diversity, and Umpqua Watersheds to identify both as threatened or endangered.
“By denying protected status to Chinook salmon on the West Coast, the Trump administration put political and private interests ahead of our dwindling wild spring Chinook salmon runs,” said Center for Biological Diversity Senior Conservation Advocate Jeff Miller. “Selling out salmon runs will benefit only the logging industry and dam operators, while fish, wildlife, orcas, healthy rivers, salmon fishers, Tribes and the public interest suffer. Without endangered species protections, we could lose these spring run ‘Kings’ of salmon forever.”
While some Chinook salmon species are listed as endangered, NOAA found that the Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal Chinook populations were at low risk of extinction.
Show me the NOAA fisheries scientist that determined Oregon chinook were not endangered. I want to see his face. I bet he looks a whole lot like the man who said HIV doesn’t cause Aids Tylenol causes Autism.’
A spokesperson for NOAA said that the salmon are abundant and highly productive. He said that Southern Oregon Northern California Coastal Chinook commonly number more than 50,000 naturally spawning fish, and most are not from hatcheries.
“Their high productivity takes advantage of the healthy habitat in many coastal streams, allowing the fish to maintain their abundance even with relatively high exploitation rates from fishing or other factors,” he said.
The spokesperson added that while other threats were considered, such as habitat loss, the scientists concluded that none of those other factors contributed significantly to the extinction risk.
“In fact, a positive takeaway is that habitat in many coastal river basins in Southern Oregon and Northern California is improving through habitat restoration and more protective land-use regulations that have been ongoing over recent decades,” he said.
This just released photo of the NOAA spokesmen shows him delivering the statistics in court.
And if you believe that I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.
I’ve seen a lot of rotten things done by the Rump administration but this is the first time it hurt me personally. So far. Just think of all those lawsuits against USDA saying that killing beavers harms the habitat of endangered salmon.
Who needs beavers if salmon aren’t endangered?
I guess this is how Trump qualifies for the Nobel Peace prize. He goes to warn-torn countries where dead men are piled to the rafters and infants heads are spitted on pikes and says “They are not dead!” I have made peace. And because he says it its true.
And Chinook salmon aren’t endangered.
