Northwest Salmon In Peril, And Efforts To Save Them Scale Up

When America was first colonized it was remarked the lakes and rivers were clear with an abundance of fish. The flora and fona were thriving. Well cutting down trees and the creation of farms started to change that. Nature also faced constant pollution. Now the EPA is postured more to the benefit of commercial interests at the expense of the environment. At what point do we say enough is enough?

A Good read but lacking in a few points of add'l information. Sea Lions follow the salmon up the Columbia River and pray on the fish by the thousands. Salmon will collect below the fish ladders in huge numbers. The sea lions gorge on them like candy. Efforts to scare the animals away usually fail leaving the only course of action left is to shoot them. Sea Lions are a protected species and so are the Salmon. A catch 22 situation and the feds. have yet to find a solution. Many of the fish that migrate to Idaho rivers never get there because of the Sea Lions in the lower Columbia River.

Some older Dams along the upper tributaries (Washington, Oregon and Idaho) of the Columbia River can be removed. Seeing the Columbia and Snake rivers free flowing and free of dams will never happen. They are there for the electric power they produce (green energy) and flood control that protect cities and towns down river. Especially for the Spring run off when the rivers often over flow their banks.

Thank you for the news share from NPR brother Chip