NOAA Awards $735,000 in Chinook Salmon Research to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

NOAA AWARDS $735,000 IN CHINOOK SALMON RESEARCH TO
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today announced a grant of $735,302 to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to study Chinook salmon escapement, recreational catch and conduct biological sampling. NOAA is an agency of the Commerce Department.

The grant will allow the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to estimate the fall Chinook salmon escapement in the Nehalem, Siuslaw, Umpqua and Coquille rivers. For each river, sport catches will be estimated and biological samples will be collected from the spawning escapements. The information will be used to reconstruct and refine Chinook escapement goals and to establish an escapement estimate index system to allow future escapement counts to be expanded to total escapement estimates.

“We are constantly working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen regional initiatives into salmon research,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This grant will help us better understand the complexities of Oregon’s coastal Chinook salmon status and long term health. The grant supports and reinforces the commitment of NOAA and the Bush Administration to Oregon’s salmon resources.”

In fiscal year 2003, NOAA has awarded more than 475 grants totaling more than $204 million to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 33 years.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov.