The lack of information on how colliding conclusions are reached is not limited to the salmon issue. In the past 30 years, scientists have learned hard lessons on how seemingly unrelated facts interact, yielding sometimes-disastrous results. Witness the use of the pesticide DDT and the drug thalidomide. Scientific research continually discloses new information that changes our models and guides our conclusions. Consulting old textbooks is an eye-opener.
Scientists are well aware that their conclusions are chameleons taking on the values of the time.
And scientists know the limitations of their research. The public and decision-makers, however, need clear, immutable, positive answers to help them make decisions. Admitting that we know too little about scientific interrelationships, we must be extremely cautious about decisions. We are on the threshold of major decisions that will affect our children and great-grandchildren. The scientists who have asked the president to consider removing some federal dams to help save the salmon opened a beehive and the public may get stung.