Welcome to the ISSU Website

Welcome to the Idaho Steelhead and Salmon Unlimited (ISSU) Home Page …… below, you will note the “Latest News Flashes”.

• In addition, check out the News & Articles, page for more news items and articles of interest.
• Our Membership page describes the various levels of membership, and provides the opportunity for becoming a valued supporter.
• Visit the ISSU Store page to order T-shirts, hats, prints, etc.
• For up-to-date info on fishing activity go to the Fishing Reports link.
• Also, have a look at the Who’s Braggin’ page - and send in your own story and photos.

SAD NEWS ……..

ISSU has “lost one of its own” with the recent passing of Mickey Turnbow, one of this organization’s founding fathers. Affectionately thought of by some as “our resident curmudgeon”, Mickey was one of the driving forces for many years, helping to establish goals and policies, organizing fund raising, offering legal advice (he was, after all, a practicing attorney), educating others on the value and importance of our wild fish, as well as many other contributions. You will be missed, Mickey!

GOOD NEWS ……..

Aug. 2, 2011 ……. We Won!!

ISSU, along with all its coalition partners, got a chance to cheer today as U.S. District Court Judge James Redden issued a ruling which states that the Federal government’s salmon recovery plan does not conform to the legal requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and therefore is not legal.

Essentially, Judge Redden has ruled that the Biological Opinion (BiOp) submitted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service, along with their other Federal partners, falls short of being a scientifically sound plan for protection of endangered salmon species from the lethal impacts of Federal dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

At one point in his ruling, Redden wrote “As I have previously found, there is ample evidence in the record that indicates that the operation of the FCRPS (Federal Columbia River Power System) causes substantial harm to listed salmonids.” — a statement which supports what we have long known — dams are the leading factor in the steady decline in populations of wild salmon.

Redden also apparently doesn’t think the government can meet ESA standards by habitat improvements alone, and thus it is time to consider other options and / or new options, including removing some of the dams. At one point in his ruling, Redden wrote “It is one thing to identify a list of actions, or combination of potential actions, to produce an expected survival improvement and then modify those actions through adaptive management to reflect changed circumstances. It is another to simply promise to figure it all out in the future.”

In what might be considered “a slap in the face, rather than a mere slap on the wrist”, Redden wrote “As parties are well aware, the resulting BiOp was a cynical and transparent attempt to avoid responsibility for the decline of listed Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead”. Redden further wrote, “NOAA Fisheries wasted several precious years interpreting and reinterpreting the ESA’s regulations.” And elsewhere in his ruling, Judge Redden referred to certain NOAA submittals as “….arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.”

The most favorable, and most heartening, part of the Judge’s ruling was ordering the continuation of spill on a permanent basis, stating “In light of the clear survival benefits associated with spill, and Federal Defendants’ history of attempting to curtail spill without adequate justification, I order them to continue to spill in a manner consistent with this court’s annual spill orders.”

Judge Redden left the current BiOp plan in place through 2013, and retaining jurisdiction. He has further ordered that by January 1, 2014 Federal agencies must come up with a new or substantially modified plan to help salmon through 2018. The new or modified plan must include:

• utilization of scientifically sound criteria
• consideration of other options or new approaches
• delineation of specific projects, that are certain to occur, are capable of being implemented, with results that can be quantified
• proposed projects or intended actions “….. must address the threats to the species in a way that satisfies the jeopardy and adverse modification standards”
• defined projects “….. must be subject to deadlines or otherwise-enforceable obligations”

ISSU Staff Comment: While ISSU members, indeed all fishermen, have reason to celebrate, there is still much work to be done. We need to build on the impetus that this ruling provides. Certainly, we believe that removal of the four lower Snake River dams offers the best chance for survival of wild steelhead and salmon, and there is more than ample sound science confirming the premise. Idaho has abundant and pristine fisheries habitat with which to support a “steelhead and salmon renaissance” — we just need for the fish to be able to get there.

Judge Redden has left the door open for dam removal. But, that doesn’t mean it’s an “automatic, done deal”. There is still much to be done before this can become a reality — in whole, or partially. While ISSU’s efforts will continue to be toward achieving this, we will need to assist in developing and establishing appropriate mitigation programs for those who might be adversely affected. We must remain proactive, while being prepared to accept compromises, when to not do so would create a “deal killing” or an overly extended stalemate.

Judge Redden has given the Federal agencies another opportunity to correct “their misdeeds of the past”, and in doing so requiring them to offer up a plan more substantive than those of the past — no more “wish lists”.

Certainly, there will be those who have a negative reaction to the Judge’s decision. We will need to remain clear headed and positive — offsetting such negativism with our own professional demeanor, and countering false innuendos and misinformation with facts that are known and proven.

Your membership is important — collectively, it is the membership of ISSU that is the strength of our organization. Joining ISSU or renewing your current membership is vital to the continuing efforts of saving these fish, and keeping them from slipping into extinction.

SALMON RECOVERY = ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Restore a River, Recover Salmon, Rebuild Jobs, Revitalize Communities

Per the article above, Judge Redden’s decision and instructions to the Federal agencies
creates an “opening” for us to become even more proactive, and assist in the development
a truly long-term ultimate solution (not just another operational BiOp of a limited number of
years). What is needed to achieve this is a collaborative effort involving ALL stakeholders
and interested parties — while there will be a myriad of considerations, first and foremost,
there must a reliance on sound scientific principles. Additionally, to achieve a consensus
resolution means openly listening to the voices / thoughts / ideas concerns of all concerned,
and a willingness on both sides for some “give and take” when making the hard decisions.

The Nez Perce Tribe, a long time ally in the fight to save our wild salmon, has recently sent
a letter to Sen. Mike Crapo (with copies to Governor John Kitzhaber of Oregon, the Deputy
Secretary for Dept. of Commerce, and others) suggesting that he was, perhaps, best suited
to initiate and lead such a collaborative effort, and urging him to undertake this challenge.

It is also imperative that President Obama, along with other members of Congress and key
Cabinet officials, be made aware this is an issue of tremendous importance to the economic
vitality of communities throughout the Pacific NW. And this where YOU can help.

THIS IS YOUR “CALL TO ACTION”! …. Become a signatory to the Save Our Salmon
coalition letter to President Obama and other officials …….. to take action now!

THERE’S GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY

In August, ISSU received reports that members of the Sho-Ban Indian tribe were harvesting returning salmon from streams in Bear Valley and other tributaries of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. It appears that there is some semblance of truth to these “rumors” …… unfortunately, based on treaty rights, this is a permissible pursuit for members of the Sho-Ban tribe, and as such, there is little that Idaho Fish and Game can do in regulating this type of activity.

ISSU Staff Comment: The vast majority of salmon returning to spawning beds of the Middle Fork ecosystem are, by and large, wild fish. With all that is happening with efforts to conserve and restore our wild salmon runs, it is inconceivable, and defies logic, that any one group would promote, condone, or permit, literally, the taking of wild fish from the very redds in which they are trying to spawn.

ISSU is fully cognizant of the Sho-Ban tribe’s rights to engage in activities that preserve its culture and its heritage, and is in no way opposed to their exercising those rights. However, they also need to exercise “some good ol’ fashion horse sense” — there are certainly other viable alternatives that would allow them their ceremonial privileges without further endangering this valuable, but fragile specie — a specie valuable to all Idaho people, regardless of their birthright.

WHERE ARE THE FISH? THEY’RE HERE, WITH MORE ON THE WAY!

Sept. 24, 2011

As Chinook salmon seasons wind down, it’s time to focus on the “Steelies”. To date, return numbers over Lower Granite Dam show 112,849 returning fish — modestly above the 2010 counts, and significantly above the 10-year average (as of the same date). This bodes well for Idaho fishermen as there are still many more fish wending their way upstream ……. and, there are already reports of some fish showing up in Riggins and Orofino.

Of the 112,849 fish reported above, some 30, 533 are wild fish — a somewhat higher percentage than what has been experienced over the past several years. Now that’s certainly encouraging news!

“MEGA-LOADS” vs. CLEARWATER and LOCHSA RIVERS

Sept. 15, 2011

The battle over allowing the “mega-loads” (which are truly huge …… 200’ long — 30’ high — fully covering the width of two lanes of highway — weighing 580,000 pounds) to traverse US Hwy 12 along both the Clearwater River and the Lochsa River is currently at an impasse. While this is by no means a “dead” issue, here’s where things stand today …….

1. In late July, a District Judge in Montana issued an injunction that prevents Imperial Oil / Exxon Mobil from trucking the oil equipment “mega-loads” over the Montana portion of US Hwy 12. A test shipment, already enroute at the time of the judge’s ruling, was stopped, and is now “parked” at the Idaho – Montana border.
   
2. Some of the “mega-load” shipments that had already arrived at the Port of Lewiston have been “broken down” into two sections (somewhat contrary to earlier claims by Imperial Oil / Exxon Mobil that there was “absolutely no way” to make the shipments smaller in size) and are being trucked Northward on US 95, and then East on Interstate-90. Imperial Oil / Exxon Mobil has stated they still intend to use Hwy 12 for transporting the equipment still remaining in Lewiston, assuming that they can get the injunction lifted and circumvent other issues.
   
3. More recent shipments of the equipment from Korea have been diverted to the port in Pasco where they are also being “broken down” into smaller sections and shipped Northward on US 395, and then East on Interstate-90. There have even been reports of shipments originating in Vancouver, WA going North on I-5, and the East on I-90.
   
4. Authorities at the Port of Lewiston have recently applied to the Army Corps of Engineers for a Federal grant to expand the port facilities using the premise, in part, that additional facilities and space are needed to accommodate an anticipated increase in the number of “mega-load” oil equipment shipments.
   
   ISSU Staff Comment: One other consideration that apparently has not been “put into the equation” is the fact that are the three huge grain storage / shipping facilities now opening up in Central Montana, each capable of rapidly loading 100+ rail cars for shipment to ports throughout the Pacific Northwest - certain to have an adverse impact on the Port of Lewiston grain barging business, which already has been steadily declining for many years.
   
   Given all that is going on elsewhere, this seems a bit like “an ostrich with its head stuck in the (Kearl Oil;) sands” thinking. Why enlarge or expand a facility that is currently operating at less than capacity and that has an uncertain future of increasing utilization of facilities on hand. Could this be another Federal “boondoggle” in the making?
   
5. The complaint file by Idaho Rivers United (IRU) in Federal District Court charging the U.S. Forest Service with abdicating its responsibility and authority to enforce federal laws within the highway corridor which parallels the Clearwater and Lochsa rivers. The suit contends the agency made many legal errors in its handling of the “mega-loads” by authorizing modifications to the right-of-way, which in effect, provided a tacit approval and facilitation for the shipments. The suit further seeks a declaratory ruling which confirms that the Forest Service has the legal authority and responsibility to regulate activities that threaten the outstanding qualities of the Wild & Scenic Middle Fork of the Clearwater and Lochsa river corridor.
   
   The US Forest Service has filed responses with the court essentially denying any authority or obligation.
   
6. Hearings were conducted in May, along with “follow-on” lawyer’s briefs, resulted in the hearing officer ruling that the Idaho Transportation Department could proceed with planned shipments along the Idaho portion of Hwy 12. Intervenors filed a Petition for Reconsideration in July. Still pending.

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If this is an issue that concerns you, we urge you to contact ITD, the Governor’s Office, and / or your local State legislator, and voice your opinion.

For more information, see www.fightinggoliath.org

To view a video on the issue, go to the following link ……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyPqqUu4ojw