Bull Trout get a Raw Deal in Washington, D.C.

[GlobalFisher]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released an economic analysis of bull trout recovery that reported only the costs of protecting bull trout and its habitat in the Columbia and Klamath river basins--up to $300 million over the next decade. Although the original analysis also showed $215 million in benefits associated with a healthy bull trout fishery, that information was deleted from the report "at the Washington level" before its release.
Read the full story here:
http://missoulian.com/articles...1.prt

If you want to write and complain about this, there is a public comment period open until May 5, 2004. Please email R1BullTroutCH@r1.fws.gov E-mails should include Attn: RIN 1018-A152, as well as the sender's name and return address.

The is very reminiscent of the recent Pacific salmon study in which scientists advised that hatchery fish were no substitute for wild fish, and their advice was also deleted from the public version of the report issued by the National marine Fisheries Service.

What seems to be happening is that government hires these independent organization to conduct a report, then the administration removes everything from the report they don't like, and then attempts to use to report to justify their actions.

Here is what is coming down the pipe: "We don't have enough resources to protect bull trout" or "the cost/benefit of bull trout recovery is not worth it."

What do you guys think? Let's try to stick to the issue as it relates to fisheries.

[Wahoo!]

Thanks for the info GlobalFisher. I'm going to check that out.