NOAA Awards More Than $4 Million To The Oregon Department Of Fish And Wildlife

NOAA AWARDS MORE THAN $4 MILLION TO
THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $4 million to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to support hatchery programs in the Columbia River Basin in Washington. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The cooperative agreement, part of the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program, will continue the operation and maintenance of six hatcheries and associated rearing and acclimation ponds in the Columbia River Basin operated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agreement covers the necessary monitoring and evaluation programs relating to hatchery operations. These hatcheries release approximately 23 million salmon and steelhead into the Columbia River basin annually.

“We are constantly working to improve our understanding of the environment and strengthen regional initiatives throughout the Columbia River Basin,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This cooperative agreement allows Oregon to manage their fisheries resources while actively supporting efforts that reinforce NOAA and the Bush Administration’s commitment to the environment.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems 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 34 years.

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.

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