Stillaguamish Hatcheries Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD)
August 27, 2019
Hatchery and Genetics Management Plans (HGMPs)
NOAA Fisheries completed the following documents and made them available for public review (public comment period closed on July 29, 2019):
- Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing effects of our proposed approval of four hatchery programs currently operating in the Stillaguamish River basin of Puget Sound, in Washington State
- Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD) for the four programs
The programs are described in Hatchery and Genetics Management Plans (HGMPs) prepared by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians.
The draft EA discloses potential effects, positive and negative, of releases from the hatchery programs on animal and plant species (both listed and not listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)) and their habitats. The draft EA also evaluates water quantity and quality, socioeconomics, and environmental justice resources, and cumulative effects. The draft EA explores and objectively evaluates a range of alternatives, including the proposed action (approval of the co-manager’s HGMPs). The four alternatives in the draft EA include:
- The effects of “status quo” hatchery programs currently being implemented by the co-managers
- Hatchery programs operated as described in the HGMPs (the Proposed Action)
- Elimination of all hatchery production from the programs
- 50% reduction in hatchery production from the programs
The hatchery plans describe the propagation of ESA-listed Chinook salmon and non-listed coho salmon and fall-run chum salmon in the Stillaguamish River basin in Washington State. They were submitted for review as joint state/tribal resource management plans under the ESA 4(d) rule, limit 6, by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
For more information on this process, please contact Alan Olson, NMFS affiliate, by phone at (360) 753-4062, or e-mail to alan.olson@noaa.gov.
Federal Register
- Federal Register Notice (84 FR 31030, June 28, 2019)