Salmon doing better in coastal Oregon

Parked in Switzerland, watching some interesting trout spawn in nearby streams is nice (more later), but here's some news that warms my heart.

Coho salmon--my fish-- are doing better in coastal Oregon where I grew up. It's been a long time coming, but things are looking better.

For you data fans, here's a information-dense status review that says basically the same thing as the news piece linked above. Things are looking better.

Interestingly, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program rated Oregon coho as fish to avoid in their seafood buyer's advice. I think they're wrong for most Oregon fish, and it seems that they know better but can't fit the details on a simple seafood wallet card.

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Wave energy site under construction

A dubious or honorable first for Oregon? The first US wave energy plant is under construction off Reedsport, Oregon. Will they work well, or just turn into expensive garbage littering and damaging ocean habitats?

Fishermen are up in arms, worried that they won't be able to fish there. So perhaps we'll get to ocean zoning, a process that most fishermen have opposed when they thought it would reduce fishing. Now some may find that ocean zoning helps fishing by securing some places where fishing is the preferred use.

Time to find out how well this technology works, and if we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels without too many accidents, it'll be a good thing.

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Too many beavers

When I was a boy, there were few beavers around. This was true even in rural Oregon, the beaver state. Well now there are more beavers than you can shake a stick at.

Too many beavers, in fact, since they're undoing what people have done to tame nature and otherwise control water.

It's funny, we liked them for the fur, we love them as a symbol (see Oregon state flag at right, the only state flag with images on two sides, and look there's a lovely little beaver on the back!)

What'll we do with too many beavers? Start a bounty program to get rid of them? Or learn to live with them?

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Turning a corner on dam removal

I never thought I'd see the day that a rural Oregon county called for removal of a dam. Jackson County in resource-using southern Oregon wants a dam removed from the Rogue River, nice.

Why am I surprised? Jackson County is famous for, among other things, the longest public library closure in the United States, thanks to residents voting not to fund the libraries cuz who needs those damn books anyway?

For years, rural Oregonians have fought against dam removal on the Rogue River, on the Umpqua River, and almost everywhere else (I know, I was part of these struggles).

We've really turned a corner away from the days when removing a damn was considered un-American.

And to make the whole thing seem like an epidemic, the McKenzie River is also being freed of some salmon-killing dams.

Maybe we weren't wasting our time when we tried to start this trend!

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Wave energy technology advances

Want cheap, green energy that doesn't produce CO2? Scientists have developed a new device that captures wave energy using more efficient technology.

Now it's time to ask whether we want to build wave energy parks on our coasts. The developers of the new technology think we could meet 10% of the energy needs of the state of Oregon with wave energy, using only a small portion of Oregon's coastline.

What do you think? Should we build wave energy parks? What if we take this further, and what if we could eliminate CO2 production and eliminate threats to coral reefs, would it be worth developing our coast?

There's no easy answer, but I think we can't afford to "just say no" to coastal development that can help us fight climate change.

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Fat bellies for salmon

I'm in Boise this week for the Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting and the northern party boats are talking about whales. With salmon fishing closed and pacific rockfish limits low, whale-watching trips are the fleet's new bread and butter. And this year, word is the whales are plentiful -- humpbacks and blues close to shore, moms and babies. One captain told me he sees krill washed up on the beaches of Half Moon Bay.

I was a little suprised by all the cold water talk, since Southern California fishermen are having a banner tuna year, which means warm currents within a few miles of the coast. But, NOAA Fisheries's scientists are reporting strong cold-water currents off the Oregon coast, full of tasty copepods. That's good news for the millions of young salmon out foraging the sea right now. If there's water in the rivers in 2010, we should see a strong salmon return.

This August 31st sea surface temperature image shows the nice cooler water (green) pushing down the coast, with a little warm yellow wedge sneaking back up to shore around San Diego. Looks like the yellowfin tuna guys might have a few more good weeks as well.

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Corrosive oceans are now real

Seawater that dissolves skeletons? Sounds like a horror movie, but it's now reality. Scientists found CO2-spiked seawater closer to land than expected.

It's an excess CO2 scenario that the climate change deniers can't deny, because it doesn't rely on climate. It's simple chemistry, more CO2 in the ocean means higher acid, and eventually it'll corrode shells and skeletons of marine animals.

Only now it's not "eventually," it's NOW. Today, hot off the elctronic presses, an article in Science Express describes what's up with the scary CO2-spiked ocean water that we've all been worried about. OK, some of us have been worried about it, and now you will worry too.

CO2-ocean is real off the US west coast, and the water has reaced the surface off Northern California. It's happening faster than the models predict, and it could change our oceans in a bad way. Your favorite animals may be affected.

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New laws build wave of green jobs in Oregon

If you build good sustainability incentives into state law, they will come to Oregon with green jobs. Such was the promise when renewable energy legislation was being debated. It worked. Now the Oregonian reports a wave of green energy jobs is coming to Oregon.

The promise of sustainability is real, and it's time to bury the tired old conservation vs. jobs story. Conservation and sustainability are good public policy and they're good for everyone.

The jobs are good ones, like SolarWorld expanding their photovoltaic manufacturing operation in Hillsboro outside Portland.

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Ocean winds revealed

Ever wanna know what the winds will be like in March off the Oregon coast? Here's a new tool that will tell you, COGOW, the ocean wind atlas.

To find out about ocean winds, just click the link above, select an area on the map that comes up, and select a month. You'll get an image like the one at left, showing wind patterns and strength for that area and month.

For March off Oregon (left), notice that great swirling pattern of winds centered in the Pacific off California. It shows where the gyre monster lives, accumulating plastic trash.

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Oregon ocean dead zone linked to climate change

It ain't natural, say scientists studying Oregon's ocean dead zones. Climate change seems to be causing the ugly die-off of ocean animals.

It's a scary story, stronger winds push this natural ocean breadbasket over the edge into a low oxygen killing field. This type of unpredictable change has ocean scientists chewing their fingernails and losing sleep at night.

The Oregon coast is a place of bountiful food production, a natural gift to salmon, orcas, and people. Upwelling of nutrients (fertilizer) is triggered by routine strong winds in the spring. The bloom of small plankton that follows creates a feeding frenzy of ocean animals and people alike.

But now climate change seems to have strengthened the winds and spoiled the party. It's too much of a good thing, something most of us can relate to every year the morning of January 1st.

We've heard for years that climate change is likely to have surprising effects, and now the Oregon dead zone is emerging as perhaps an early example. Yikes.

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Diverse interests agree on removing Klamath River dams for salmon

Almost everyone concerned with the Klamath River mess now agrees that removing the four fish-killing dams is in everyone's best interests.

The only holdout is PacifiCorp, the dams owner. And the only thing they're want is money. Strange position, since the company has to build fish ladders if they keep the dams, and the fish ladders and related costs are more than tearing out the dams.

This sounds like a negotiating tactic to get a big fat check from the federal governments, and maybe that's what's needed since the federal government helped get everyone into this mess. Even in the last few years, federal meddling and muddling has created and worsened the problems.

It's going to be hard to fix the Klamath River, and costly, but it's time to get moving. Bring down the dams!

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Any port in a storm--salmon in urban streams

Nasty urban streams can be vital salmon habitat, at least during stormy weather.

Overturning conventional wisdom, baby salmon were found living in streams once thought to be too ruined by development in Ashland, Oregon. The trick for salmon is to use these streams selectively, as shelter from the rushing water of winter storms.

When the water is raging, juvenile salmon look for shelter wherever they can find it, and that can include tiny garbage-strewn streams that you could step across, flowing next to a big highway. A few days of shelter during winter floods can make a life-or-death difference for a salmon.

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Sustainable shrimp from Oregon

Do you love shrimp but worry about the harm caused by shrimp fishing or shrimp farming? Well, good news, some Oregon shrimp have just been certified as sustainable.

Shrimp is America's favorite seafood, but most shrimp are farmed or caught with destructive methods. Shrimp trawling usually kills turtles and other fish, in large amounts (up to 4 times more "other" things than shrimp) and tears up the ocean bottom. Shrimp farming usually destroys coastal habitats to make shrimp ponds.

The Oregon pink shrimp are caught with much lower environmental impacts and are one type of shirmp that you can enjoy without feeling guilty. I'm happy to see this progress, the Oregon pink shrimp fishery had some problems in 2001 when I served on a management advisory panel. But diligent work has produced progress and now recognition.

The Marine Stewardship Council is the leading sustainability certifier for fisheries. Ask your favorite seafood seller for Oregon pink shrimp with the sustainability certification.

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Sandy River runs free, after dammed century

Well folks, it happened last Friday. High flows blew out the last remaing earthworks of the old Marmot Dam, and the Sandy River now runs free once again.

The undamming era took a new step forward; this dam is now GONE. Not huge at 47 feet tall, but significant as it once produced enough power for 12,000 homes. The biggest dam yet removed in Oregon.

We knew this was going to happen, it was all planned. I invite you to take a moment and celebrate un-development for the sake of fish. It CAN and DOES happen. Click here for video of the blessed event.

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If you've ever wanted to blow up a dam

Check out this video. Concrete Marmot dam has been largely removed, and now we await high water (could come as soon as Thursday) to blow out the remaining structures and sediment buildup. The video is a scale model of what's left blowing out in high water.

Dam destruction and it's legal!!

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Shampoo in the Columbia River

Wanna know where to find clean fish? Try the lower Columbia River, where a recent study found plenty of household products like coffee, antibiotics, and yes, shampoo.

We've heard some similar news before, but this is the first time I've heard of shampoo in a river. And the especially bad news is that these chemicals were found at levels that might harm fish in a river as big as the Columbia. With so much water flowing, that's a lot of shampoo.

Are peole in the northwest just a lot more particular about being clean? Maybe we can launch a "share a shower" campaign, inviting people to shower with a friend to conserve shampoo.

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Fish hatcheries produce lame fish

We've known for years that domesticated hatchery fish aren't much good in the wild. But newer, better hatcheries that spawn wild fish are said to be...well...newer and better.

A new study says that even one or two generations in a hatchery reduces the fitness of steelhead (salmon cousin). This study supports recent decisions that hatchery fish should not be counted in considering whether salmon or trout require protection as threatened or endangered species.

We've made a gross error in the northwest, in relying on hatcheries to compensate for habitat destruction. We were warned, but the attraction was too great. We bought the promise that we could have overdeveloped rivers and salmon too. It didn't work, and there were voices raised at the time that said it wouldn't work. I hope we learn our lesson someday.

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Dam removal not just a dream

Who says enviros and fishermen can't work together? And who says we can't engage big business in a search for sustainability? This summer, Portland General Electric is removing a fish-killing dam on Oregon's Sandy River. This success is a result of diverse interests working together, including PGE, fishermen, and environmentalists.

PGE has created a fascinating website with demolition videos, time lapse demonstration of river restoration, and lots of explanatory material.

This is the biggest dam removal project in the northwest in over 40 years. Thanks to PGE for recognizing the value of a free-flowing river. It's gratifying to see this happening, since I worked with PGE and fishermen on efforts to define where, when, and how it makes sense to restore natural river habitats.

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Lamprey, the other salmon

Most people think eels are icky. Maybe that's why the eel-like lamprey are the Rodney Dangerfield of fish, and don't get no respect. Maybe they'd win some sympathy if they dropped that alternative lifestyle thing (blood-sucking parasites).

While most people know about the sad decline of salmon, the even-worse decline of lamprey has escaped notice. Lamprey are in trouble in because almost nobody cares about them. Lamprey are killed by the same things that harm salmon, but nobody builds hatcheries or fish ladders to save the lamprey.

But there may be hope for these non-sexy fish. First nations hold lamprey in high esteem and are beginning to call attention to their sad plight. Maybe it's not too late.

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Politics meet science (again) over salmon

Once again we have a judge sticking up for science after government officials didn't bother. Oregon's coho salmon are in deep trouble, and a judge ordered stronger protection from state and federal fish agencies.

This is another in a long line of rulings necessary to get coho salmon on the road to recovery. The state of Oregon has preferred voluntary action (pretty please, timber companies, be nice to fish?), and the federal government said that sounds just fine. The latest action was to count farm-bred hatchery fish as part of salmon populations, so we can farm coho salmon back to recovery.

Scientsts called foul, and a federal judge agreed. Where is the scientific integrity of the government?

Blogfish has a strong fondness for coho salmon, and this is good news.

I belive strongly that we need to get people to invest in saving salmon. We can't just attack and pass outrageous laws and regulations and expect fish to bounce back. But we can't just say pretty please to the people who did the damage, and expect the fish to bounce back. The state of Oregon has been bending over too far to please property owners and resource users. A federal judge agreed, once again.

Sigh. deja vu all over again. My first salmon lawsuit was in the mid-1990s over the first ill-fated "Oregon salmon plan." I have a feeling this will become a lifelong pursuit.

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