Metropolitan King County Council 516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-1000 Toll Free: 800-325-6165 TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024 Fax: 206-296-0198 council@kingcounty.gov
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Oct. 27, 2008 “Extinction is not an option” in fight to save Puget Sound orcas and salmonExperts tell County Council a decade of planning efforts are threatened by budget shortfalls and patchwork fundingA decade of work to restore Puget Sound salmon runs is now threatened by budget shortfalls and patchwork funding sources, according to experts who urged all levels of government to continue support for habitat recovery efforts. The experts spoke at a special forum today before the Metropolitan King County Council’s Committee of the Whole.
“Having a plan is not enough. We must be willing to commit the funding, the staff, and the political capital to implement it,” said Councilmember Dow Constantine, chair of the Committee of the Whole and a former co-chair of salmon recovery efforts in the Duwamish/Green River basin. “Our orcas and our salmon will be lost if we fail to implement this plan. Extinction is not an option.”
Constantine cited recent news reports on the feared death of seven orcas attributed in part to starvation due to dwindling Chinook salmon runs. He reminded participants that a detailed plan for restoring Puget Sound salmon runs has been created through “a decade of preparation, planning and cooperation” that involved cities, the state of Washington, federal agencies, non-profit groups, and tribes.
Councilmembers were told that even before recent economic turmoil, King County’s 10-year capital improvement plan for salmon recovery was only about 25 percent funded. Panel members also spoke of the importance of working with rural landowners to maintain working, sustainable lands that are good for the economy and good for salmon. However, the very programs that are essential to assisting landowners are facing significant cuts in this budget. The budget proposes to cut these essential stewardship programs by over $1 million in 2009.
“I grew up fishing on Puget Sound, launching from Ray’s Boathouse on Shilshole. I want my grandchildren to enjoy the Puget Sound the same way I did as a child,” said Council Chair Julia Patterson. “That is why this coordinated effort is so important. We need a cohesive approach to the recover of salmon and the overall clean-up of Puget Sound so that these treasures remain a part of our culture well into the future.”
“King County already has made many contributions toward salmon recovery and improvement of the freshwater habitat,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert, a member of the Snoqualmie-Snohomish Watershed Forum. “The marine ecosystem needs attention, but the vast scope of that challenge is not something King County can tackle alone. All of our partners need to share in the commitment to ensuring that salmon and orcas can continue to survive in Puget Sound.”
“King County must remain a leader in salmon restoration,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson. “As a Seattle native and father of young twins, it is important that future generations experience the natural resources that help make this region unique.”
“Since the Chinook salmon was listed in 1999, King County has been on the leading edge of salmon recovery in our state,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn. “We have a duty to ourselves and our children to restore our salmon populations. After all, the health of our salmon determines the environmental health of our county.”
Comprehensive, stakeholder-backed recovery plans for individual Puget Sound watersheds have been completed through the Watershed Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) program and will be incorporated into the Puget Sound Partnership’s ambitious action agenda for Puget Sound cleanup that includes the restoration of salmon runs, a plan that is slated for release next month.
Councilmembers and panelists called for King County to continue its leadership in salmon recovery efforts and for the state and federal governments to step up and provide funding for these identified needs. Among those briefing the Council were local leaders who are veterans of salmon recovery efforts, including Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, Bellevue City Councilmember Dr. Don Davidson, Duvall City Councilmember Elizabeth Walker, and David Dicks, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership.
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