Recommendation 12
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Washington State University

Michael K. Skinner
Center for Reproductive Biology Phone: 509-335-1524
School of Molecular Biosciences
Fax: 509-335-2176
Pullman WA 99164-4231 Email: skinner@mail.wsu.edu

March 14, 2000

Steve Crow
Executive Director
Northwest Power Planning Council
851 SW Sixth Avenue, Suite 1100
Portland OR 97204-1348

Dear Mr. Crow:

This letter is in response to your letter of 2/24/00 requesting comments to the Northwest Power Planning Council on future planning considerations. We have reviewed the Strawman report and feel many of the areas of focus are appropriate. However, much of the specifics of how this will be accomplished and the details to much of the basic science need to be expanded.

Although the state and federal agencies involved in the salmon restoration issue have been very active, much of the basic scientific research on the salmon and its habitat has occurred in the university system. This is evident by examining the body of peer reviewed published literature in the field. Over the past three years, we have found it difficult to break into the political network and system at the NWPPC and the BPA to have an impact on your activities or simply to be used as a resource. In part, this is due to a lack of understanding of the resource available at the university level. Enclosed is the "Salmon Restoration Program," which is a joint program between Washington State University and the University of Idaho. This joint university program has over 70 independent research faculty and involves over 200 scientists focused on salmon restoration. The program has three major components of fish biology, habitat, and economics. The specific basic science associated with each of the faculty and its integration into the program is presented. This is an integrative and interactive program that combines multiple disciplines and investigators. It is this types of integrative scientific approach that will provide the insights required to understand and solve the salmon restoration problem. This material is to provide a better understanding of the scope of science this program can apply to the problem and an example of the type of integrative approach needed. We hope this is seen as complementary to the current activities of the NWPPC and the BPA and hope that they can be integrated in the future.

In regards to comments on the Strawman report, the following is provided:

1) That the universities need to be utilized as a resource in moving forward with the NWPPC plans, in particular in expanding the basic science and detail required to address the salmon restoration problem.

2) That in integrative scientific approach combining fish biology, habitat, and economics is required to both address the problem and develop working solutions.

3) That the NWPPC and BPA take advantage of the technical advances that occur in the university programs that will provide leads and information to develop potential solutions to the salmon restoration problem.

 Many of the specific areas discussed in the Strawman report can be addressed and expanded by the WSU and UI Salmon Restoration Program enclosed. We hope you consider this in your planning process and feel we can provide a significant resource to address the problem. Please contact me if you have any questions and we appreciate you considering these comments.

Enclosures

Cc: Bob Lohn, Director of Fish & Wildlife Divisions, NWPPC
Larry Casidy, Chair, NWPPC
Eric Bloch, Vice Chair, NWPPC
Bev Lingle, WSU
Larry Ganders, WSU
Leon Radziemski, WSU

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