In the past, such an action has magnified conflicts between economic and environmental interests. This time, state and federal entities are seeking to build on a foundation of cooperative commitment between forest land owners and recreational and commercial fishing interests to bring greater environmental and economic certainty to this resource- dependent region.
Fifty years ago, according to historical estimates, as many as 500,000 of the silvery fish made an annual journey of perhaps 100 miles from the ocean to native streams to spawn. Last year, however, studies show only about 5,000 coho returned to spawn, and in recent years they may have disappeared from all but 132 streams. Interestingly, while the coho struggles to survive, a different species of salmon, the fall-run chinook, are abundant this year in coastal waters.
Natural and human-made environmental problems and conditions have contributed to the decline of the coho. Activities such as logging, road-building, development, and dams have degraded healthy streams. The six-year drought aggravated the problems.
Fixing coho habitat must be an ecosystem-wide endeavor that addresses the needs of diverse resources and species. The participation of private landowners is essential.
The Resources Agency is creating a process for restoring and protecting the coastal salmon natural system that encourages landowners to participate voluntarily and tailor plans to conserve the ecosystem in ways most compatible with their land uses.
With input from stakeholders, a Framework Agreement designed jointly by state and federal agencies commits us to work with local and tribal governments to conserve the biodiversity of the coastal salmon natural system and maintain a healthy and sustainable economy. The cooperative effort would enlist the full involvement of all stakeholders in the coastal salmon predicament - landowners, environmental organizations, watershed associations, and fishing interests.
The agreement also specifically provides for conducting a feasibility assessment of whether an integrated watershed program can effectively foster both long-term protection of the coastal salmon natural systems and certainty for landowners and local communities regarding their future. The feasibility assessment will be completed by early next year.
An ecosystem approach to habitat restoration is far more effective, certain, and enduring than the short-lived traditional species-by-species method. The state is applying this strategy in a model program to save the California gnatcatcher and associated species in the coastal sage scrub of Southern California. The innovative Natural Community Conservation Planning (NCCP) pilot program exemplifies a partnership approach to ecosystem conservation, and we believe it can work for recovering coho salmon if tailored appropriately.
By next summer, the National Marine Fisheries Service must determine whether to actually list the coho under the federal Endangered Species Act. In their Federal Register notice of proposed listing, the NMFS recognized the potential for a cooperative approach: "NMFS believes that the NCCP conservation planning process envisioned by the Resources Agency is the best approach for developing and implementing a successful conservation and recovery strategy for coho salmon in California.
The coho can make a comeback over time, but only if its habitat improves and stakeholders are enlisted in the solution. The Framework Agreement is a blueprint to secure the cooperation of all parties that will be essential to achieve this worthy environmental goal.