The Politics of Salmon

Yesterday my Stream Stewards group took a field trip to Clear Creek Hatchery, where I learned about all the different interests that go into environmentalism. I love eating salmon as much as the next guy, so that means I support habitat restoration programs. But there is so much conflict involved in the restoration. How much development should be allowed in the watersheds? What limits should we place on fishing? What about dams? Seals are protected, but they like to hang out at the mouth of the rivers and eat the salmon as the swim past and decimate their numbers. Should we kill those seals? What about farm run-off? It can be as bad or worse than development. And of course, who should pay for all this, and how much? There are many, many groups that have an interest in the salmon issue and there is no solution that can make everyone happy. I believe there is a workable solution for everyone, and I am determined to find it. Special thanks to: Don Perry, Nisqually Stream Stewards; Emiliano Perez, Nisqually Tribe Clear Creek Hatchery; Rod Gilbert, Fort Lewis restoration biologist.