Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 2019)
A2 THE ASTORIAN • SATuRdAy, dEcEmbER 14, 2019 Salmon die-off closes Chinook salmon fishing IN BRIEF Closure at rivers on the North Coast Razor clamming closed along the Oregon Coast SALEM — Razor clamming on the Oregon Coast is closed because of high levels of domoic acid. The closure, announced Friday by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife, applies to commercial and recreational clamming. Domoic acid is a naturally-occuring marine toxin. Workshop set on draft forest management plan The Oregon Department of Forestry is hosting a public input and question-and-answer session in Astoria on the draft revised Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan. The meeting will be held at the Judge Guy Boy- ington Building at 9 a.m. on Friday. The comments will provide input to project staff prior to finalizing the draft revised plan. The department will accept comments through January. Comments may be emailed to odf.sfcomments@ oregon.gov, submitted through the department’s website or mailed to ODF Public Affairs, 2600 State St., Salem OR., 97310. Crash on Highway 101 Business causes injuries, closes highway A crash closed U.S. Highway 101 Business near G Road for 30 minutes Wednesday afternoon. A driver was rear-ended when she stopped to turn into her residence. Police say the crash resulted in severe damage. The driver of the vehicle that was hit was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria with injuries. — The Astorian Congressman opposed to Jordan Cove LNG project COOS BAY — A Democratic congressman has announced his opposition to the proposed Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas terminal and its 230-mile feeder pipeline in southern Oregon. The World reports U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, of Springfield, said in a letter to campaign supporters last week that he doesn’t support the project because the federal approval process is run by “unelected political appointees, the project tramples on private property rights, and it will exacerbate the urgent and immediate threat of climate change.” While he hadn’t taken a hard stance on Jordan Cove previously, DeFazio has spoken out against the 2005 Bush-Cheney Energy Policy Act, which allowed the Federal Energy and Regulatory Com- mission to claim eminent domain for energy projects. He has introduced legislation to reverse the commission’s eminent domain powers, DeFazio said. DeFazio also said his office can’t stop the Jordan Cove project. — Associated Press ON THE RECORD Assault • Ryan Dale Tall- man, 21, of Baker City, was arraigned Friday on charges of unlawful sex- ual penetration in the first degree, assault in the fourth degree and crim- inal mischief in the sec- ond degree Menacing • Robert Dale Lar- son, 52, of Jewell, was arrested Wednesday on Oregon Highway 103 in Jewell for menacing and criminal mischief in the second degree. DUII • Travis Jon Mea- cham, 58, of Steilacoom, Washington, was arrested Thursday on W. Marine Drive and Fourth Street in Astoria for driving under influence of intoxicants. PUBLIC MEETINGS MONDAY Astoria City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 1095 Duane St. TUESDAY Union Health District of Clatsop County, 8 a.m., Providence Seaside Hospi- tal ED Center. Port of Astoria Commis- sion, 4 p.m., 10 Pier 1 Suite 209. Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board of Directors, 5:15 p.m., Established July 1, 1873 (USPS 035-000) Published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by EO Media Group, 949 Exchange St., PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 Telephone 503-325-3211, 800-781-3211 or Fax 503-325-6573. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Astorian, PO Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103-0210 DailyAstorian.com Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Warrenton City Commis- sion, 5:15 p.m., special session on budget, City Hall, 225 S. Main Ave. Seaside Planning Com- mission, 7 p.m., work session, City Hall, 989 Broadway. Shoreline Sanitary Dis- trict Board, 7 p.m., Gear- hart Hertig Station, 33496 West Lake Lane, Warrenton. Circulation phone number: 503-325-3211 Periodicals postage paid at Astoria, OR ADVERTISING OWNERSHIP All advertising copy and illustrations prepared by The Astorian become the property of The Astorian and may not be reproduced for any use without explicit prior approval. COPYRIGHT © Entire contents © Copyright, 2019 by The Astorian. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MEMBER CERTIFIED AUDIT OF CIRCULATIONS, INC. Printed on recycled paper Subscription rates Effective May 1, 2019 MAIL (IN COUNTY) EZpay (per month) ...............................................................................................................$11.25 13 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$37.00 26 weeks in advance ...........................................................................................................$71.00 52 weeks in advance ........................................................................................................ $135.00 Out of County Rates available at 800-781-3214 DIGITAL EZpay (per month) .................................................................................................................$8.00 By ZACH URNESS Statesman Journal The recent die-off of fall Chinook salmon has expanded from the Wilson River to three other river basins, leading to a total clo- sure on salmon fishing on the North Coast, wildlife officials said. Salmon killed before they were able to spawn by the parasite cryptobia has been observed in the Nestucca, Trask and Kilchis rivers near Tillamook during the past week. To help the remaining Chinook spawn, officials have closed the entire North Coast to all salmon angling effective Friday to Dec. 31. The closure includes all basins from the Nestucca to the Necanicum rivers, including bays, the Ore- gon Department of Wildlife said Wednesday in a news release. Angling for steelhead is unaffected by this change and remains open under per- manent regulations. “We need to protect the remaining spawners to help Rick Swart/Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Fishing for fall Chinook on the North Coast has been closed by recent salmon die-offs. provide for future runs of fall Chinook on the North Coast,” said Robert Brad- ley, district fish biologist for the state fish and wild- life’s North Coast Watershed District. The parasite, which is naturally occurring, caused the death of more than 200 salmon in the lower Wil- son River earlier this month. After tips from local anglers, biologists then discovered the parasite in a substan- tial number of dead salmon sampled in the three other river basins last week. The parasite is no risk to humans. Bradley blamed abnor- mally dry conditions in Ore- gon for the spread of the par- asite, which has caused fish deaths in the past but never on this scale, he said. “This scale of die-off is really unheard of,” he said. “This parasite typi- cally doesn’t escalate to this level.” The low-water conditions kept salmon trapped in small pools of water for long peri- ods, allowing leeches that carry the parasite to get on a higher density of fish, Brad- ley said. “We’ve seen that happen in small tributaries in the past, but never in the main- stem of these rivers the way we’ve seen this year,” he said. It’s unclear what impact the die-off will have long term on the native fish runs on the North Coast. “Luckily we did have rain in October, so some fish were able to move upstream and spawn before it dried out,” Bradley said. “Long- term it will depend on how many more fish come in — which usually lasts until Jan- uary — and can get eggs in the gravel. That’s why it’s so important to protect what’s left.” All salmon angling is closed in the following areas: Necanicum River basin; Nehalem Bay and river (including the NF Nehalem); Tillamook Bay and rivers (Tillamook River, Trask River, Wilson River, Kilchis River and Miami River); Nestucca Bay and river (including Three Riv- ers and the Little Nestucca River). Beginning in the new year, no wild salmon can be harvested on the North Coast, meaning the closure on fall Chinook essentially remains in place when the calendar flips. Anglers paid $1.1M for catching fish in Columbia, Snake rivers By ZACH URNESS Statesman Journal It pays to go fishing. Anglers across the Pacific Northwest were paid $1.1 million this year for catching and removing 146,000 north- ern pikeminnow from the Columbia and Snake rivers. Pikeminnow prey on salmon and steelhead smolts, protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, as they migrate toward the ocean. To improve survival rates, the Bonneville Power Administration has rewarded anglers with $5 to $8 per pikeminnow removed from the system for the past three decades. The pikeminnow must be over 9 inches to quality, and there are a few specially tagged fish that anglers can reclaim for $500. In 2019, a total of 2,700 anglers claimed a reward, including one angler who was paid $53,000 for catch- ing a whopping 6,482 fish. The program’s goal is not to eliminate northern pike- minnow, which is native to both rivers, but “rather to reduce the average size and number of the predatory fish,” Bonneville Power offi- cials said in a news release. “Large northern pikemin- now are responsible for eat- ing the most salmon and steelhead smolts,” said Eric McOmie, Bonneville Power program manager. “Reduc- ing the number of large pikeminnow can help more young salmon make their way to the ocean, which means more of them will return to their home streams as adults.” The rewards to anglers are paid by ratepayers to Bonneville Power, which operates the Columbia River Basin’s system of dams and is responsible for mitiga- tion efforts for endangered salmon and steelhead. Pikeminnow have also been blamed for feeding on endangered lamprey, which has seen declining numbers. “Lamprey are often found in the diets of the north- ern pikeminnow,” said Mac Barr, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Predation Studies project leader. “In 2019, we began exploring ways to better estimate how many juvenile lamprey in the Columbia and Snake riv- ers are eaten by the northern pikeminnow. Understanding the predation rates on lam- prey is important because they are a state sensitive spe- cies as well as a federal spe- cies of concern and are cul- turally important to many Columbia Basin tribes.” Congress criticizes how Coast Guard investigates harassment By JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press The U.S. Coast Guard’s leadership has failed to con- duct prompt, thorough and impartial investigations of harassment and bullying allegations, according to a congressional investigation released this week. The report, called “Right- ing the Ship,” also found Coast Guard leaders didn’t hold officials accountable for deficient and incomplete investigations and didn’t take corrective action to address retaliation against people who report harass- ment and bullying. It con- cludes that the service needs to make “significant improvements” in its poli- cies and procedures. The U.S. House Over- sight and Homeland Secu- rity Committees launched the 18-month investigation after questions were raised about how complaints were handled at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Subcommittees for the two committees dis- cussed the findings Wednes- day during a joint hearing. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Michael McAllister said at the hearing the service’s senior leaders are taking “every step to foster and develop a climate that’s free from harassment, bullying and retaliation” and take all complaints seriously. McAllister, the dep- uty commandant for mis- sion support, spoke about changes the Coast Guard has made to the way it handles allegations, including updat- ing its civil rights awareness training, creating new posi- tions to improve oversight at the academy and revis- ing procedures to require commanders to notify their superior of the findings and outcomes of harassment, hate, hazing and bullying inquiries. McAllister acknowl- edged there’s room for improvement and said he looked forward to “enhanc- ing our policies” with help from Congress. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thomp- son, a Mississippi Demo- crat, said the Coast Guard must make major changes to address its climate and cul- tural challenges and ensure accountability. “The Coast Guard’s big- gest asset is not its fleet, but its people,” said Thomp- son, the Homeland Security Committee chairman. “If the service does not know how to take care of its own peo- ple, it cannot execute its crit- ical mission to protect our homeland.” The GOP didn’t sign onto the report because Repub- lican representatives were given only a few days to review it, said Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, arguing the report should have been issued after the hearing, to include informa- tion presented Wednesday. Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko, an Arizona Repub- lican, called it a “one-sided report” that should have included feedback from the Coast Guard. She praised the service for its commit- ment to improving and said the Democratic majority spent considerable time and expense investigating an issue that had been already investigated. The report includes a lengthy discussion about a case involving a mem- WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 ber of the permanent teach- ing staff at the Coast Guard Academy, Lt. Cmdr. Kim- berly Young-McLear. She reported in 2015 that her supervisor harassed her and created a hostile work envi- ronment, partly because she is a lesbian and a black woman. The report says the academy never investigated her allegations, instead using an alternative dispute resolu- tion process. Young-McLear, who tes- tified Wednesday, said she turned to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General after she suffered retaliation for making the complaints. The Coast Guard, she said, did not hold those responsible accountable or provide a safe working environment. Her case is not isolated, she said, and such issues are happen- ing across the Coast Guard. “Many Coast Guard individuals, who are over- whelmingly talented, devoted people of color, women and LGBTQ, have reached out me to share their experiences and to convey that these systemic issues up and down the ranks are not unique to the Coast Guard Academy,” said Young-Mc- Lear, who is doing a cyber- security fellowship in Wash- ington but plans to return to the academy. Young-McLear was asked how she found the strength to “fight the Coast Guard” for years. “I don’t see it as I’m fight- ing the Coast Guard,” she said. “I see it as I’m fighting for a better Coast Guard.” The inspector general’s 2018 report substantiated Young-McLear’s claim that she was retaliated against on the basis of her discrimina- tion and harassment com- plaints, in violation of the Military Whistleblower Pro- tection Act. The Coast Guard has acted on that report’s recommendations, McAllis- ter said. The congressional report also finds fault with how a related bullying case at the academy was handled, and notes that 45% of female cadets reported experiencing sexual harassment in 2018. The committees said that although the cases they most closely examined involved faculty and leadership at the academy, the policy and pro- cesses used to address alle- gations apply to the entire Coast Guard. McAllister said he does not have data to suggest bullying and harassment is widespread, but he would like to hear directly from anyone who believes the issues are common. He said Young-McLear is helping the Coast Guard by partici- pating in diversity and inclu- sion initiatives. Adm. Karl Schultz, the head of the Coast Guard, was asked to testify Wednes- day. Committee leaders said Schultz declining to appear reinforces their concerns that the Coast Guard lead- ership does not takes the issues seriously enough. They criticized the Coast Guard for delaying the deliv- ery of requested documents and heavily redacting them during the investigation. But McAllister said he spoke for the service because he is in charge of human resources, training and per- sonnel policy. He said it was their intent to be responsive and transparent, and pursu- ing a diverse and inclusive service is a top priority. The congressional inves- tigation was launched by the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cum- mings, a Maryland Demo- crat who worked on Coast Guard diversity issues throughout his career, and Thompson, in consultation with U.S. Rep. Joe Court- ney. Courtney, a Connecti- cut Democrat whose dis- trict includes the academy, said the report isn’t an attack on the Coast Guard, but if there’s a problem it needs to be fixed.
