Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 2016)
8A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016 Birds: Nonlethal hazing is to increase survival of smolts Continued from Page 1A The bridge has hosted the ish-eating birds before, act- ing as a seasonal home to around 75 to 100 nesting pairs of cormorants on average, according to studies by the Corps — nothing compared to what has been observed in the past few weeks. It isn’t clear what the increase means for the bridge itself, or if the nests will remain in use after the regular nesting season has passed. Meanwhile, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wild- life is continuing with regu- larly scheduled hazing of dou- ble-crested cormorants along Oregon estuaries to protect smolt. The bulk of this work wrapped up in May, but Clat- sop County’s Fisheries Proj- ect holds a permit from the state that allows them to also harass the birds in July, when the department typically releases ish from net pens in Youngs Bay and Tongue Point. With lower numbers of brood stock this year, however, Nat- ural Resources Manager Steve Meschke doubts they’ll need to go out in their boats and chase cormorants around the bay — Clatsop County’s usual method. Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian A lone cormorant takes flight under the Astoria Bridge. Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian Cormorants rest below the Astoria Bridge Wednesday. Different methods, same birds Oregon’s state-run haz- ing is very different from the methods undertaken by the Corps on East Sand Island. Last year, the Corps obtained a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- vice that allowed them to begin targeting and killing double-crested cormorants, planning to ultimately reduce approximately 14,900 breed- ing pairs of double-crested cormorants to 5,900 breed- ing pairs by 2018. The agency says the birds eat millions of protected salmon and steel- head traveling through the Columbia River estuary and threaten the survival of those runs, statements and reason- ing the Portland Audubon Society and others have since challenged. As of May 16, the Corps’ contractors killed 2,394 dou- ble-crested cormorants and oiled 1,092 nests to prevent eggs from hatching before all the birds disappeared and culling activities were halted early. The goal for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wild- life hazing is similar, but dif- ferent. Instead of using guns, the state and the other groups it contracts with or issues per- mits to for hazing work are more likely to chase the birds around in boats or use laser pointers to wake them up and move them away from areas where young ish are going to be passing through. Their goal with this nonle- thal hazing is to increase the survival of smolts, particu- larly the Oregon Coast coho population that is federally listed as threatened, by chang- ing the cormorants’ behavior for a short period of time. The hazing occurs when the ish are passing through estuaries along the southern and mid- coast — Tillamook, Nehalem, Nestucca, Elsie and Coquille — and in the Lower Colum- bia River. Such hazing has regularly occurred since the 1980s. Stresses on ish Oregon Fish and Wildlife can’t say for certain that this hazing ultimately reduces the number of birds traveling to sensitive areas, or if keeping the birds away from smolts means more ish survive to come back as adults. “The diet data indicates cormorants don’t really care what they eat, they eat what’s around and what’s easy to catch,” said James Lawonn, a biologist and avian preda- tion coordinator for the depart- ment. As other prey begin to run through the rivers and up and down the coast after May, research by the department and Oregon State University show salmon make up even less of the birds’ diet. Salmon survival depends on a variety of factors, includ- ing huge variables like ocean conditions and habitat loss, Lawonn said. Still, the state is trying to ease any additional stresses the ish may face. This sort of nonlethal haz- ing will likely continue for the foreseeable future — the state’s particular hazing pro- gram is already in the bud- get for next year — but it is, Lawonn believes, ultimately a social question. “How much does society want to harass a native bird to promote survival of salmon, some of which are in conser- vation danger, some of which aren’t?” he said. Manager: He said the commission keeps such information at ‘arm’s length’ Continued from Page 1A A reversal The Nygaard family, who own Warrenton Fiber, and Mayor Kujala’s family, who own property near the dam, have urged the city to con- sider taking control of the dam, warning of possible lood risks if the dam is removed by the water district. The City Commission voted 2-2 in May — with Mayor Kujala recused because of a conlict of interest — against renewing a $1.2 million agree- ment with the water district and the Columbia River Estu- ary Study Taskforce on the dam. The agreement would have replaced a gravel road over the dam with a single-lane bridge so the city could main- tain emergency access over the river once the dam is removed. The project would have been funded with money from the federal Bonneville Power Administration. The commission had twice voted for the deal in the past but reversed course under pressure from the Nygaard and Kujala families. The water district responded in May by again voting to remove the dam, dropping the provision for a single-lane bridge for the city. Planning Commission review Removing the dam would require a city permit and, likely, a review by the Planning Com- mission, which could examine whether engineers for the water district and CREST adequately modeled the looding risk. A Planning Commission vote could be appealed to the City Commission. Fritsch said he is con- cerned the process might now be “tainted” because city com- missioners have viewed some of the information on the dam before the Planning Commis- sion and before they might have to weigh an appeal. The city manager has con- sistently advised the City Com- mission to focus on the possi- bility of securing a bridge over the river for emergency access if the dam is removed — and not the lood-control issues — because the land use questions would irst be heard by the Planning Commission. Fritsch said the city asked a consultant last year to do a technical review on the water district’s engineering reports on the dam to help the Planning Commission, but the water dis- trict and CREST withdrew the permit application before the Planning Commission took a vote. The city consultant contin- ued to review the water dis- trict’s engineering reports in the expectation that the proj- ect could come back before the Planning Commission. Fritsch said the City Com- mission “has always kept that at arm’s length and has not col- lected that information. It’s what we did for Oregon LNG. It’s what we did for Wal-Mart.” Pressed as to whether he should have shared more details with the commission, the city manager said: “I don’t think it would have been appropriate.” Deined lood plain Among the city consul- tant’s main conclusions, accord- ing to an October memo, is that while only minimal differences in water elevations are expected if the dam is removed, the water district’s engineering reports did not identify speciic areas of inundation or properties that could be impacted. The consul- tant also questioned the potential impact of even small increases in water elevation on the city’s levees, even though the dam is not part of the levee system. Tessa Scheller, the chair- woman of the water district’s board of directors, said the water district was aware of the city consultant’s observations before adopting the engineer- ing plan. “We’re conident that we understand the lood plain,” she said. “We live here. We would not want to lood ourselves.” The water district took pos- session of the dam — built by the federal government in 1963 — after the structure exceeded a 50-year life span. “We are determined to remove that dam,” Scheller said. “Our liability increases every day it’s there and open for public misuse.” NOW OPEN & WE NEED YOU! Pelican Brewing Company is NO W HI RI NG Line Cooks, Janitors, Dishwashers, Servers, Hosts & Bussers APPLY IN PERSON ANYTIME AT: 1371 SW Hemlock, Cannon Beach OR SEND YOUR RESUME TO: Employment@Pelicanbrewing.com www.yourlittlebeachtown.com/employment Questions? Call Stephanie 503-965-7779 ext. 307 Thank you to our 50’s Cruise Reunion Car Show Sponsors we couldn’t have done it without your support! – from the Lower Columbia Classic Car Club A.F. Dick Machine Shop –Astoria Action Sign Works –Astoria Advanced Collision Repair –Seaside Affordable Towing –Astoria American Century Trophy –Astoria American Family Ins. –Astoria Andi Warren/Farmers Ins –Astoria Astoria Deal’s Only –Astoria Astoria Ford –Astoria Astoria Warrenton Mini Marts –Astoria, Warrenton Auto Zone Auto Parts –Warrenton Beach Baron Car Club –Ocean Park City Lumber Co. –Astoria Classic Body Works and Towing –Astoria Clatsop Power and Equipment –Astoria Columbia Motor Parts –Astoria Comfort Suites –Astoria Costco –Warrenton Cruizin Magazine –Freeland, WA Darlene Webster –Chinook Del’s O.K. Tire Factory –Astoria Ed and Jeff Penuel –Warrenton, Gresham Frank & Debbie Kossak –Portland Jim Varner’s Automotive –Astoria Judy & Ernie Atkinson –Astoria K. Manufacturing –Astoria L & D Race Tech –Warrenton Mark’s Auto –Seaside McCall Les Schwab Tires –Warrenton Neil Baeten Auto Body –Astoria North Coast Auto –Astoria North Coast Truck –Astoria Nu-Way Carpet –Astoria Nygaard Logging –Warrenton Ocean Crest Chevrolet –Warrenton O’Riley Auto Parts –Warrenton Pioneer Market –Long Beach Polk Riley Printing –Astoria Pud Pul –Astoria Putman’s Pro Lube –Warrenton Rods Auto and Marine Electric –Warrenton Seaside Muffler and Off Road –Seaside Sowins Real Estate –Astoria Springer’s Garage –Astoria Steve and Judy Jordan –Astoria Sunset Napa Auto Parts –Astoria Tackle Time –Warrenton Vinson Bros Construction –Astoria Warrenton Auto/Marine Repair –Warrenton Warrenton Napa Auto Parts –Warrenton Wilcox & Flegal Oil Co –Astoria Woody’s Wabbits –Astoria
