As the Northeast regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), I am writing to address certain points made by Karl Meyer in his Viewpoint [“Failed salmon program doesn't deserve new life,” The Commons, Oct. 12].
While I respect Mr. Meyer's opinion about the FWS's involvement in the Atlantic salmon restoration program in the Connecticut River watershed, I must correct factual errors that I believe mislead your readers and have the potential to erode public support for the conservation of native fisheries in the river.
Central to Mr. Meyer's column was his concern that I have requested funding from Congress to make repairs at White River National Fish Hatchery in Bethel, Vt., which suffered severe damage from flooding during Tropical Storm Irene in August.
I have made no such request. I have, however, reported the cost of rebuilding the hatchery due to storm damage to the FWS's Washington office.
Mr. Meyer also criticized the FWS for considering any further investment at White River because of its historical involvement with the Connecticut River Atlantic salmon restoration program.
He failed to explain that White River National Fish Hatchery is one of the premiere fish hatcheries in the Northeast. While it has produced eggs as part of the Atlantic salmon restoration program, it accomplishes much more.
Fisheries ecologists in Bethel raise lake trout to support recreational fishing in the Great Lakes, making White River Hatchery a recreational fishery that contributes $4 billion overall to local economies.
The hatchery also raises native brook trout, a favorite of Vermont anglers.
Rebuilding the hatchery is one of my priorities so that it may continue to support the work of our state, federal, and nonprofit partners to restore native fish populations.
Cleanup continues at the White River Hatchery, and in the coming weeks we will remove the remaining fish and begin to decontaminate the facility. We assume that all of the fish have been exposed to disease and to the invasive algae - didymo, or “rock snot” - known to occur in the White River.
Mr. Meyer suggested that the FWS would “play fast and loose with the potentially disastrous dispersal of didymo.” This is absolutely incorrect. I assure your readers that we will take every precaution to ensure that we do not spread this invasive species to other watersheds.
Mr. Meyer is correct that the loss of fish at the hatchery will affect the Atlantic salmon restoration program in the Connecticut. I agree with his opinion that the program is not achieving the success that we would like to see, and the Service is working closely with our restoration program partners to assess the program.
However, we should not lose sight of the fact that salmon restoration efforts have benefited numerous other migratory fish such as American shad and river herring.
In addition, it has enabled the FWS to contribute to efforts to improve fish passage, migratory fish habitat, water quality, and recreational opportunities from the river's headwaters to the sea.
I appreciate Mr. Meyer's interest in keeping fisheries conservation in the public eye. I welcome his ideas and those of your readers who call the river valley home as we ask hard questions and make difficult decisions about the fisheries we manage for our children and generations to come.