NOAA Fisheries has approved salmon, steelhead, and trout hatchery programs currently in operation within the Upper Willamette River Basin, Oregon. The programs are described in Hatchery and Genetics Management Plans (HGMPs) prepared by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the co-managers).
NOAA Fisheries' approval included analysis of the programs under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The ESA section 7 consultation resulted in our finding that operation of the programs would not jeopardize ESA-listed species nor destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat.
The NEPA process culminated in a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and record of decision (ROD). The final EIS incorporates feedback we received from the public after their review of the draft EIS last year. The EIS 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) and their habitats. The final EIS explores and objectively evaluates a range of alternatives, including the proposed action (approval of the co-manager’s HGMPs). The five alternatives in the final EIS include:
- the effects of “status quo” hatchery programs currently being implemented by the co-managers
- hatchery programs operated as described in the updated HGMPs (the Proposed Action)
- hatchery production to only support reintroduction needs above federal dams
- elimination of all hatchery production from the programs
- increase hatchery production in existing facilities to support fisheries
In balancing the projected effects of the various alternatives presented in the EIS and the public interest with economic, technical, NOAA statutory mandates, and matters of national policy, NOAA Fisheries has decided to implement Alternative 2.
A public review period on the final EIS was open through March 11, 2019.
For more information, please contact Lance Kruzic, NMFS, by phone at (541) 957-3381, or by e-mail at lance.kruzic@noaa.gov.
For more information on hatchery programs that NOAA Fisheries is evaluating along the West Coast, please visit our hatcheries page.
Resources
4(d) Limit 5 approval (pdf)
Biological Opinion (pdf)
Upper Willamette Final EIS Resources
- Record of Decision
- Upper Willamette Hatcheries Final EIS
- Federal Register Notice of Availability of final EIS (84 FR 2860, February 8, 2019)
Upper Willamette Draft EIS Resources
- Upper Willamette Hatcheries draft EIS
- Federal Register Notice of availability of draft EIS (83 FR 12753, March 23, 2018)
- Federal Register Notice of extension of public comment period on draft EIS (83 FR 18554, April 27, 2018)
HGMPs and Notice of Intent to Prepare EIS Resources
Prior public review period for HGMPs and Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS:
- Federal Register Notice: (81 FR 90787, December 15, 2016) comment period closed January 30, 2017
