Save the salmon — dams must go | Guest Opinion

“One of Nature’s greatest gifts to the Pacific Northwest is its vast river system.”

Given the continued decline of salmon, I’m reminded of what John M. Hurley of the State of Washington Department of Fisheries said in his 1949 annual report. Hurley offered a clear-eyed and sobering analysis of what the future held with the proposed construction of the Snake River dams. He didn’t mince his words: “Construction of dams on the Snake River would devastate salmon and fisheries in the Snake and Columbia Rivers.”

Hurley’s prediction was an inconvenient truth then. Now, after 70 years of ignoring his warning, salmon runs have hit the brink of collapse, small fishing businesses dependent on salmon have shuttered, livelihoods are lost and families from once prosperous, vibrant riverside and coastal communities have withered and moved away.

For me, Hurley’s words about the great Pacific Northwest rivers and the salmon that depend on them hits close to home. My life, family, many friends, business partners, and the economically-important companies I’ve worked for have had to deal with the long term, average decline of salmon due to the effects of the Columbia River having too many dams. To reduce the number of dams and especially those offering the least benefit to the region (the lower Snake River dams) is what this is all about.

Imagine this marvelous river basin without salmon. The tangible possibility of this happening makes me feel like I’ve lost my place in the world. Worse still, the havoc visited on Washington’s fishing community isn’t new. The year 1964, when I was 14 years of age, stands out clearly in my mind. The summer chinook season closed for the first time that year and stayed closed for twenty nine years. And while we did see a few years of limited fishing since, fishing for them on the lower river is now closed down again. What business could expect to survive after 30 years of being put on hold? Too many dams killing salmon means there are not enough fish left to allow fishing. This is hardly fair to sport, commercial, tribal anglers, and the many residents who value salmon.

The inconvenient truth in 1949 has become one of biggest challenges we face in our region, and with ever greater urgency. I hear the many calls from Idaho. Riverside communities are hurting. They are calling on their elected representatives to listen and lead because they need their salmon back to make a living. I am joining that call as a long-time member of the recreational fishing industry.

Let’s be honest. Previous efforts haven’t recovered salmon or provided our communities with security. This is a truth we cannot continue to ignore, for in doing so, we ignore the pain of our fellow Washingtonians. This is why I understand my fellow farming, food and wine producing friends, as they want security too. As we begin to talk about the lower Snake River dams and how to deal with them, let’s be real about the science and find a way that works for us all.

We have options. But we don’t have a lot of time. We can maintain cheap, clean power; bring back healthy, harvestable salmon runs; and protect the livelihoods of neighbors upriver, downriver and on the coast. I truly believe this is within our reach. But first, we have to be honest with the truth. To experience results for salmon and the businesses that depend on them we must reduce the number of dams while structuring a plan that is fair to all dependent on these great rivers.