10/03/05 Practical Paths To Salmon Recovery, Pt.2

10/03/05 Practical Paths To Salmon Recovery, Pt.2

Practical Paths to Salmon Recovery, part two. I'm Andy Patrick. And a two day conference in Boise follows up and looks ahead. Details on the event are coming up on today's "Line on Agriculture". It was five years ago that the Idaho Council on Industry and the Environment joined forces with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council to host a workshop addressing the complex issues connected to salmon recovery in the Northwest. Called Practical Paths, the conference in year 2000 was noted for the diverse range of opinions from tribal and environmental interests to power producers and irrigators. Since that first conference, there have been new studies on salmon recovery and how best to go about, new technological developments both in use and on the drawing board, and new litigations that have gone before and are going before the courts. And that is why Pat Barclay of the I.C.I.E. and other coordinators of the original conference feel the time is right to hold "Practical Paths to Salmon Recovery, Part Two". BARCLAY: This year, we looked around and said "You know, there's a lot more stuff that's happening. So we felt it was time to have a follow up. This year's "Practical Paths" workshop is scheduled for October 4th and 5th in Boise. And like the first conference, diverse opinions are expected on a diverse list of topics. Subject matter ranges from the state of hatcheries and economical impacts of salmon recovery, to the court's involvement in the issue of fish recovery and hydro operations, to flow augmentation and dueling data on salmon. BARCLAY: We'd like to educate the people who come to what's going on. The bottom line is to educate not just federal and state people who are involved in these different issues but the whole Practical Paths series has been to educate stakeholders and people in the general public. And not just educate but give both presenters and Joe Q. Public a chance to share their views about salmon recovery efforts with the decision makers. BARCLAY: Legislators, county commissioners, elected officials, Congressional staff, people who are going to be involved in making decisions in the future to help them make better decisions by getting good information to them. And sponsorship of the event is designed to keep the costs down. Or as Barclay put it, allow more people to attend and participate in a program of this nature without having to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 dollars to do so. While the early bird registration fee deadline has past, those still interested in attending only need to pay $65 dollars at the door at the Boise Holiday Inn. For more information on "Practical Paths for Salmon Recovery, part two", go to the Idaho Council on Industry and the Environment's website, www.icie.org.
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