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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2001

A federal judge's recent decision to remove the coho salmon from the endangered species list is calling into question protections for other salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.

Environmental groups are urging the National Marine Fisheries Service to appeal U.S. District Court Judge Michael Hogan's ruling. Hogan said the agency acted arbitarily when separating wild coho from fishery coho in order to list the fish as threatened.

Critics of salmon recovery efforts are hopeful additional lawsuits challenging other listings will result in the same action. There are currently 12 species of salmon and steelhead listed as "endangered" or "threatened."

Four tribes have treaty-guaranteed rights to fish in the Columbia River basin.

Get the Story:
Court ruling may redefine 'endangered' (The Spokesman Review 9/28)

Related Stories:
Private audit criticizes salmon efforts (9/25)
Judge says salmon not threatened (9/17)