Friday, October 28, 2005

Yakima Basin Steelhead & Bull Trout Plan

Yakima Herald Republic Online

"Federal fisheries officials on Wednesday accepted a locally developed plan for restoring steelhead and bull trout in the Yakima River Basin, describing it as blueprint for the future. "Gov. Christine Gregoire and more than 25 local and state officials, along with representatives of the Yakama Nation, met in Yakima to hand over the plan to NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The draft salmon recovery plan will become the foundation for a federal recovery plan that is aimed at having the two species removed from the endangered species list. "The federal plan, following publication in the Federal Register and a public comment period, is expected to be adopted next summer as an interim recovery plan. "