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California and Oregon salmon sustainable status downgradedJune 28, 7:35 PM · Margie Slivinske Seafood Examiner In its sustainable seafood-buying guide, which groups seafood into three categories (Best Choices, Good Alternatives and Avoid), the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program has downgraded the status of California and Oregon salmon. It is now listed as "Avoid" due to "dramatically declining populations as a result of habitat loss, climatic shifts, historic overfishing and other factors," according to their Seafood Watch Program. "Fisheries management has not prevented the long-term decline of many species of salmon in California, Oregon and Washington. In general, salmon populations caught in the Washington fishery are moderately healthy while the major population targeted by both California and Oregon fisheries is severely depleted," says Monterey Bay Aquarium. After being closed for the last two years, these fisheries have been re-opened by the Pacific Fishery Management Council this year. Says Monterey Bay Aquarium, "The decision to open the season in 2010 despite the record low number of salmon has made many question the effectiveness of the fishery management. In contrast, wild salmon populations in Alaska are healthy and well-maintained." According to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), salmon have been, and continue to be, a target species for recreational fisheries throughout their range. During periods of decreased habitat availability, the impacts of recreational fishing on native stocks may be heightened. Commercial fishing on unlisted, healthier stocks has caused adverse impacts to weaker stocks of salmon, and illegal high seas driftnet fishing in past years has also been partially responsible for declines in salmon abundance. In an attempt to mitigate for lost habitat and reduced fisheries, extensive hatchery programs have been implemented throughout the range of salmon on the west coast. While some of these programs have been successful in providing fishing opportunities, the impacts of these programs on wilds stocks are not well understood. Competition, genetic introgression, and disease transmission resulting from hatchery introductions may significantly impact the production and survival of wild salmon. Commercial and recreational fisheries targeting stronger stocks supported by hatchery production may inadvertently result in adverse impacts to weaker, wild stocks. Furthermore, collection and utilization of wild fish for broodstock purposes may result in additional negative impacts to small or dwindling natural populations. Also responsible for greatly reducing the salmon populations in California and Oregon are water storage, withdrawal, conveyance, and diversions for agriculture, flood control, domestic, and hydropower purposes. Physical features of dams, such as turbines and sluiceways, have resulted in increased mortality of both adults and juvenile salmon. Attempts to mitigate adverse impacts of these structures have to date met with limited success. In addition, land use activities associated with logging, road construction, urban development, mining, agriculture and recreation have significantly altered salmon habitat quantity and quality. Salmon with Citrus and Fresh Herbs The breakdown of the three categories by Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program for salmon is now: Best Choice: Good Alternatives: Avoid: “It’s a huge blow to our industry. We have been off the water for two years,” Nancy Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Oregon Salmon Commission, told Oregon Public Broadcasting. "Fishermen are out there, doing what they do best, and bringing back our quality salmon, and here we are being told this is an ‘Avoid’ product.” The bottom line is that it is up to the consumer to choose sustainable seafood that is not one of an endangered species or the harvesting of it is not a threat to other marine life or habitats. Our oceans and marine life are not limitless. For e-mail alerts of new articles from the Seafood Examiner, click on the Subscribe button above. And be sure to check out the San Jose Easy Meals Examiner (me!) for other great recipes (try Salmon with Citrus & Fresh Herbs), weekly meals plans with corresponding grocery lists and easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions designed to help people with little or no cooking experience. For seafood, the focus is always on fresh and sustainable. Copyright 2010 Examiner.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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