Mr. Taylor pointed out the importance that this development has on Canadian stocks. In Canada, we need government to provide leadership on this issue and one of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem and take action. Mr. Taylor called for a bi-partisan agreement to place swift passage of SARA at the first session of the new Parliament. We have proposed a commitment to a five-year research program to determine why wild Atlantic salmon are not returning from the ocean. We suspect a number of factors are involved.
Research is required to identify the causes.
ASF hopes that the decision announced today will put an end to the hotly contested debate. For the past 27 years, the U.S. Endangered Species Act has successfully protected wildlife from extinction while striving to incorporate the needs of local people and economies into recovery efforts. From the more than two-dozen salmon runs protected under the ESA in the Pacific Northwest to the bald eagles and short nose sturgeon in Maine, businesses have learned to adapt and have continued to thrive in existence with rare wildlife. ASF represents 7 regional councils, which have a membership of 150 river associations and 40,000 people, throughout the North American range of salmon.