NOAA Releases Plan For Columbia River Steelhead

October 1, 2009

Release from: Seattle Times

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plan to restore habitat for Columbia River steelhead in central Washington and Oregon would cost almost $1 billion over the next 25 to 50 years.

The plan, released Wednesday, aims for a self-sustaining steelhead population by managing farming and logging and preventing hatchery fish from competing with wild fish.

The Tri-City Herald reports this is NOAA's fifth plan to help salmon and steelhead protected under the Endangered Species Act. The prime habitat rivers include the Walla Walla, Yakima, John Day, Deschutes and Klickitat.

NOAA spokesman Brian Gorman says the plan provides a road map for how agencies and landowners can cooperate to improve fish habitat.