National Fish Habitat Initiative
Stakeholders Meeting
March 19, 2004
69th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference
Spokane, Washington
Jeff Koenings, Director,
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife

Welcome to Washington State and to Spokane, known in Washington as the center of the "inland empire." This is an excellent location for holding the North American, as the surrounding area is a hot bed of fish and wildlife activity.

The National Fish Habitat Initiative being discussed today is of great interest to DFW as well as to the fish and fisheries resources here in Washington State.

Salmon and trout populations are in trouble here. One reason is clearly evident by just looking out the windows (a view overlooking the Spokane River).

Salmon historically could be found in the Spokane River - no longer. From feeding grounds in the Alaska Gulf, salmon would migrate back thousands of miles through the Columbia River here to spawn and die.

Latah Creek enters the Spokane River about 1 mile west of us. It is the tribal name loosely translated to mean "many salmon" (Spring Chinook and Steelhead). They no longer exist and this troubles me.

So barrier dams and other obstacles for passing juvenile as well as adult fish are obvious examples of altered fish habitat. So are the pools behind the dam, which bear little resemblance to the free flowing waters.

Other examples are the streams, and rivers that go dry in the summer in part, because of illegal water diversions.

But habitat alterations that are not so evident are present throughout our state. A growing population has pushed further into the watersheds altering the function of fish habitats.

Washington may be viewed as "poster child" for what happens when fish habitats are traded for other purposes. Those alterations have, in part, led to the federal listing of salmon and trout populations under the ESA that affect 70% of the geography of the state: an area that affects 90% of the population.

Over the last 4 years, the state and tribes have been addressing the 4-H's held generally responsible for the decline! Harvest, hatchery, hydropower and habitat.

I didn't mention habitat last because of its low priority, I did so because it is the hardest H to address. It is simply tough work. Having said that, we can also say we are making progress:

• In the last 4 years we have spent over 125 million in state and federal funds restoring and preserving riparian habitats.
• The Northwest Power Planning & Conservation Council has allocated millions of dollars to restore fish and wildlife habitat along the Columbia River.
• The forestry industry has stepped up to help design the forest and fish agreement that protects 60,000 miles of streams during logging operations.
• Watershed groups statewide are leading the efforts to restore the functions of streams for fish. These science-based efforts are working but there is a long road ahead. We are taking it one step at a time, one "pond" at a time.

Our partnerships with federal agencies like the USF&WS - U.S. Geological Survey are well established and fully appreciated. Other partners such as the Nature Conservancy and Trout Unlimited are fully engaged in addressing fish habitat science and management. Operating under our co-management principles the WDFW and the tribes are reforming hatchery practices and reformed harvest management.

Now, increasing awareness of the connection between functional habitats and fish and fisheries is a major issue. As big as that is, we have found that local, on the ground collaboration is the key to change.

That on the ground local collaboration does need direction and that is where a National Fish Habitat initiative can help. It can help in restoration, but more importantly it can help to prevent the habitat damage in the first place.

One lesson has become painfully obvious and that is the fact that habitat restoration is very expensive and extremely hard work. The simple way to put it is that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The object is not to repeat the failed practices of the past, but to put a new paradigm in place.

We a solidly behind this initiative and stand ready to help in any way we can. Thanks for being here, now let's go to work.

Thank you.

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