An independent review of the latest PIT-tag survival study from the Fish Passage Center has garnered some positive comments, though scientists who looked at it have recommended gutting one of its major elements--the upriver/downriver stock comparison--because of the many confounding factors in the analysis. ...more

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council will play a major role in implementing the next hydro BiOp, Bob Lohn, Regional NOAA Fisheries administrator, told the council at its Nov. 14 meeting. ...more

Federal agencies are moving ahead with plans to remove ESA-fish munching birds and sea lions from the lower Columbia River, an effort the draft BiOp says will help all ESA-listed stocks. ...more

Columbia Basin fish and wildlife managers say that funds unspent by BPA for the last two years of its fish and wildlife program should go to pay for "unmet and critical needs" for various projects submitted in the 2007 budget process. ...more

A panel of scientists has been chosen by the leadership council of the Puget Sound Partnership in its efforts to develop an action plan for restoring regional waters, whose job will now include overseeing the salmon recovery plan developed for the 14 watersheds represented in the Shared Salmon Strategy, which is slated to shut down at the end of the year. ...more

Six long-time whale researchers have sent a letter to NOAA Fisheries knocking the newest draft hydro BiOp for the Columbia and Snake rivers, arguing that it's still not enough to produce self-sustaining runs of salmon, runs that would be large enough to provide a healthy food resource for resident orca populations in the Northwest. ...more