The Federal Caucus developed these principles from various scientific reviews and recovery planning documents that have been developed for fish and wildlife recovery in the Columbia Basin. These principles were used to shape the Basinwide Salmon Recovery Strategy and will be used for implementation of recommended actions. Conservation of Columbia Basin fish and aquatic species must address all aspects of the ecosystem and the species lifecycle. Conservation requires a network of diverse, high quality, interconnected habitats and high water quality.
Natural systems functioning properly are necessary to restore salmon and steelhead.
Conservation requires preservation of life history diversity, genetic diversity and metapopulation organization. These characteristics affect the response of anadromous and resident fish populations to both demographic variation and variation in climate and environment. Conservation requires re-establishment of the nutrient cycle provided by decaying fish carcasses, to effectively cycle nutrients from ocean to freshwater. Because human activity, development and population growth will continue, conservation depends on managing human impacts to achieve suitable ecosystem conditions. Technology and research can be used to complement natural functions but cannot replace them.