June 20, 2009 in Letters

Fish decline telling

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Until this year, my close friend and I traveled to Alaska each year for a summer fishing trip that included the famous Kenai, Kasiloff, Homer, Valdez, Cordova areas. We always did well, but noticed in the past couple of years that king (chinook) fishing has slowed considerably, as has halibut in the southeast zone. Silvers (coho) are still good and fun to catch.

I say this because even Alaska is noting the slowdown in chinooks, and that’s with a policy that requires so many thousands to spawn. Means to me that ocean conditions and small prey are harder to come by. Areas off California and Oregon near crab beds are experiencing the same dead zones.

Anyone that thinks that removal of any dams will enhance oceangoing salmon is dreaming a wishful dream. If the Snake River dams are removed, we’ll lose boating, irrigation, cheaper barge traffic and, mostly, way more costly but environmentally clean and renewable hydroelectric rates. We will have more trucking of agricultural and other goods. Diesel, paving, road upkeep and more use of fossil fuels will be the norm. Be careful what you wish for.

Nathan Narrance

Colbert

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