Letter: Salmon runs aren’t on ‘brink of extinction’

With interest, I read the Dec. 4 guest opinion of Julian Matthews “Costly dams are harmful to salmon, tribes, and taxpayers.”After re-reading the article, I wonder what Mr. Matthews views as success. He generalizes that the salmon continue to be on the “brink of extinction,” stating the growing returns are an illusion.

The real numbers show that the adult fish passage at Lower Granite (the northernmost of the four federal Snake River dams) has increased from 60,817 in 1994 to 384,405 in 2015. In 2009 the return numbers approached 600,000. Let’s give the $15 billion of improvements to the dams and habitat more time to work.

Additionally, I suggest Mr. Matthews refer to the website of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, which the Nez Perce tribe belongs to. That site has a section called Snake River Fall Chinook Recovery. A tribal success story. The article finishes by stating “local Indian and non-Indian fishers in the Snake River are experiencing a bounty unseen since the construction of the dams.” Also, on the same webpage, you can also find where to buy tribal salmon and how to cook them.

Brink of extinction? Hypocritical?

This story was originally published December 25, 2016 at 4:05 AM with the headline "Letter: Salmon runs aren’t on ‘brink of extinction’."