OREGON ONCE AGAIN ESCAPES THE ESA





        When the National Marine Fisheries Service listed steelhead as an


endangered species on August 11, 1997, Oregon once again escaped.  Except


for Northeast Oregon streams, tributaries of the Snake River, Oregon was


spared by the newest protected species effort.


        Citing a conflict over science between NMFS and Oregon Department


of Fish and Wildlife staffs, the decision was made to delay  the decision on


Oregon coastal and other Columbia River steelhead populations until Feburary


of 1998.  Out of fifteen steelhead ESU  considered for listing only five


were listed, the rest were held over for a decision to follow in six months.


        Oregon evaluated the status of steelhead and determined that


Klamath Mountains Province,  Oregon Coast and Columbia River ESU are


sensitive.  This means, apparently, that steelhead in these areas are not


threatened under the ESA, but they are also in more trouble than a finding


of "unwarranted" would suggest.  Oregon once again confuses the issue and


places its native fauna in a category that doesn't match any other


classification but its own.  There is no indication that a sensitive species


under Oregon's definition bestows greater protection for the species.


       In a desperate attempt to hold off listing, Oregon fish managers


completed a last minute status review in June.  This did not leave enough


time to evaluate the new Oregon status review by NMFS, so a scientific


dispute was called and everyone gave a sigh of relief.  Now Oregon's


Governor John Kitzhaber can have his salmon experts, Jim Martin and Roy


Hemmingway, rewrite the Oregon Coho Plan to include steelhead.  This will be


enough, it is hoped, to allow Oregon to keep steelhead off the federal


protected species list in most of the state's streams.  Oregon has been so


successful in dodging the ESA for fish protection, that Washington's


Governor Locke is holding the Oregon approach up as the way for his state to


escape federal listing.