The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted $1,065,416 to the Klamath River Inter-Tribal Fish and Water Commission to support salmon recovery efforts in the Klamath Basin. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The commission includes the Hoopa, Karuk, Klamath and Yurok Tribes. The organization is dedicated to protecting and recovering depleted salmon stocks in California, especially the Klamath Basin. This grant will continue funding for salmon habitat restoration, salmon stock enhancement, salmon research and supplementation activities.

“Salmon recovery efforts are critical to the protection and management of this valuable resource in the Pacific and to the culture and livelihood of the tribes near the Klamath Basin,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This is another example of NOAA’s and the Bush Administration’s strong commitment to species conservation and environmental stewardship.”

The declines in wild salmon populations have occurred over the last century. The recovery of sustainable salmon runs will require substantial investments of time and other resources over many salmon life cycles. However, through the coordinated efforts of the tribes, significant contributions are being made to conserve and restore sustainable Pacific salmon runs and the habitats upon which they depend to provide harvestable surpluses to support treaty and non-treaty fishing opportunities consistent with existing law.

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 in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s 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.