Noting that fish counting is largely ignored, the scientists say it is important to find a way to verify whether the billions invested in salmon recovery is going to work. The report's release comes just as the federal government is about to release its official plan for salmon recovery in the Columbia River Basin. Record chinook run forecast Nearly 360,000 spring chinook are expected to cross Bonneville Dam in 2001, according to recent projections by a panel of state, federal, and tribal biologists. That's more than twice this year's record-breaking run of 178,600. Even so, more than 80 percent of the run will be hatchery-born.
Most wild fish remain in serious trouble.
Additionally, this upswing may not last more than a couple of years. Other runs of salmon, including fall chinook in the Columbia and coho along the Oregon coast, are not expected to rebound so dramatically. Agencies try to streamline red tape Federal agencies in the Northwest have streamlined the process for issuing wetland permits, clearing the way for faster approval of projects designed to help imperiled salmon. By waiving individual review requirements for minor water-related projects, they will have more time to review numerous instream projects and culvert replacements intended to help fish. Local government officials and landowners have expressed frustration with long delays waiting for their voluntary habitat improvement projects to be approved.