Cutthroats In Court

Fisheries

Environmentalists and fishermen sued recently to force the government to take new steps to protect endangered cutthroat trout in Oregon’s Umpqua River from the effects of logging.

The lawsuit challenges an opinion from the National Marine Fisheries Service that found the Northwest forest plan, created to protect fish and wildlife after the battle over the northern spotted owl, was adequate to protect dwindling fish populations.

“The government is taking the position that business as usual … will be enough because over the next 100 years, habitat is expected to improve. These fish simply don’t have 100 years to wait,” said Glen Spain of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations.

Spain said the logging creates silt that flows downstream and degrades habitat improvements done under Oregon’s plan for restoring habitat for the coho salmon.