Federal Science Team finds Oregon Coastal Coho Threatened by Declining Freshwater Habitat Conditions on Nonfederal Lands

Degradation is Outpacing Restoration

The National Marine Fisheries Service says the findings of a Biological Review Team tasked with evaluating threats to Oregon Coastal Coho salmon. The team affirmed that the fish is appropriately listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Pacific Rivers Council (PRC) has been working to protect coho salmon and their habitat since 1993 when they led a coalition of conservation groups to petition for listing of all Pacific coast coho

Chris Frissell, PRC’s Director of Science and Conservation is reviewing the team’s findings now. “The new Proposed Rule to list Oregon Coastal Coho as a threatened species is based on one of the most comprehensive and scientifically informed efforts ever undertaken to review a species and its habitat,” said Frissell. “The scientists concluded coho populations are weak in many parts of its range, with growing vulnerability to poor or deteriorating ocean conditions.”

These findings are significant because they shed light on the questions of habitat condition and trend which have been left unanswered in previous reviews. “Degradation of freshwater habitat from logging, roadbuilding and agriculture is a key reason that coho were listed in the first place,” observed Mary Scurlock, PRC Policy Director, “Although conditions on federal lands seem to be getting better, these findings tell us that habitat on private lands in most places is actually getting worse.”

The report clearly finds that “habitat complexity” is not improving. Key pervasive causes include intensive private land timber harvest and agricultural activity without adequate riparian protection and restoration, urban and suburban development, high road densities, continued low beaver populations, loss of tidal wetlands and instream gravel mining. For parts of the Umpqua Basin, a particular focus for PRC’s Legacy Rivers program, the team identified the additional problems of water diversion and predatory warm water fishes such as smallmouth and largemouth bass.

“Poorly-regulated land and water use continue to plague the coho salmon in streams, rivers and estuaries,” says Frissell, “Rapid climate change threatens to further erode survival in both rivers and the ocean.”

“These are important findings for the administrators of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, especially the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and other entities that make grants for restoration projects,” said John Kober, PRC Executive Director, “The implications are that Oregon is not consistently spending its money in the right places on the right projects, and that stronger regulatory standards and enforcement are needed to avoid undermining restoration investments.”

“Coho salmon remain on the road to extinction,” Frissell continues, “We are fortunate we still have time to regroup and reconsider how wisely we’ve been investing Oregon’s restoration resources.”

The Draft Rule to continue threatened status for Coho is open for comment until July 27, 2010.