Salmon Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery planning is underway throughout the entire Northwest region. Various recovery planning products are becoming available, and are being posted below. We’re referring to these documents collectively as “draft recovery plans,” though more specific definitions of the types of products are provided below.
NOAA Fisheries Service has delineated three recovery domains, or geographic recovery planning areas, for the salmon and steelhead populations listed under the ESA in the Northwest Region. The three domains with recovery-planning activities are Puget Sound, Willamette/Lower Columbia, and Interior Columbia, which has three sub-domains of Middle Columbia, Snake and Upper Columbia. The Northwest Region is also continuing to work with the state of Oregon to conserve coho in the Oregon Coast Restoration Area, where there are currently no ESA-listed fish.
While each recovery plan will meet ESA requirements and will use consistent scientific principles, each plan will be unique because of conditions in that domain, and because it will be based on local initiatives. Since these plans are based on local recovery planning efforts, the level of detail in the recovery products completed in December 2005 varies. Because of the decentralized, multi-jurisdictional nature of salmon recovery planning in the Pacific Northwest, recovery-related products are in varying stages of development. Descriptions of the various products:
Proposed Recovery Plan: This is a plan that covers an entire ESU and meets the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. It includes a locally developed plan with stakeholder buy-in, and a NOAA Fisheries Service supplement that clarifies and expands on ESA recovery requirements. A proposed plan is published in the Federal Register for official public review and comment.
Interim Regional Recovery Plan: This type of plan addresses portions of ESUs and meets the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. It also includes a locally developed plan with stakeholder buy-in, and a NOAA Fisheries Service supplement that clarifies and expands on ESA recovery requirements.
Early Draft Recovery Plan: This document is a work in progress to show development for those areas not yet covered by a proposed or interim regional recovery plan. Such plans are being posted here to provide the public an idea of on-going recovery planning activities.
Other Recovery Planning Documents: These include strategies summarizing existing information and locally based ideas for completing recovery plans, and address cross-basin issues. "Modules" address the effects of activities that occur outside of each sub-basin and domain, or that address regional policy issues. Such documents are also being posted to provide public access to information about on-going recovery planning activities.
Click on the products listed below to learn about the status of recovery work in each domain. Additional products will be posted as they’re available. The Northwest Region welcomes your comments on these products and encourages you to get involved in local recovery activities. (Please e-mail to request a CD if you have trouble downloading any of the large files.)
PUGET SOUND DOMAIN
Puget Sound Chinook
Jan. 19, 2007: Final Recovery Plan Adopted - no longer a plan in progress
Hood Canal Summer Chum
May 24, 2007: Final Recovery Plan Adopted - no longer a plan in progress
Lake Ozette Sockeye
April 2008: Proposed Lake Ozette Sockeye Recovery Plan
WILLAMETTE/LOWER COLUMBIA DOMAIN
Feb. 3, 2006:
Approval Letter (PDF 105KB) announcing approval of interim plan
Response to Comments (PDF 96KB) on draft interim plan
Interim Regional Recovery Plan (links to Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board Website)
Dec. 22, 2005: Willamette-Lower Columbia Recovery Strategy (large file - PDF 4.5MB)
Apr. 15, 2005: NOAA Fisheries Service Supplement (PDF 470KB)
INTERIOR COLUMBIA DOMAIN
Middle Columbia Sub-Domain
Sept. 24, 2008: Proposed Middle Columbia River Steelhead Distinct Population Segment ESA Recovery Plan
Snake Sub-Domain
Mar. 14, 2006: Federal Register notice (71FR13094) (PDF 65KB); Availability of ESA Draft Snake River Salmon Recovery Plan for Southeast Washington and supplement to that draft.
February 2006: Supplement to the Draft Snake River Salmon Recovery Plan for Southeast Washington (PDF 333KB)
October 2005: The Snake River Salmon Recovery Board submitted this locally developed plan (links to recovery board's Website), the Southeast Washington Draft Lower Snake River Salmon Recovery Plan, to NOAA Fisheries Service.
Upper Columbia Sub-Domain
Oct. 9, 2007: Final Recovery Plan Adopted - no longer a plan in progress
