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Fre quentiy asked ~sos ~ , . p ~ z~, . ~~~z... What is a watershed? Are the salmon threatened or What is a riparian zone? You're standing in one right now (the upper endangered? What is the difference? The riparian zone is the area of vegetation next Willamette River watershed). A "Listing" a species is one of the first steps to a river or stream, and is an important part of watershed is the area of land that gathers water that NOAA Fisheries takes in protecting a species .salmon habitat. These corridors of grass; from rain and melting snow, which flows into a under the Endangered Species Act. The ESA has shrubs and trees protect stream banks from specific river or stream. The water travels. over two different designations for listing species: erosion and filterpollutants out of stormwater the land surface, across farms, forest-land, "threatened" and "endangered." "Endan- before they can reach the stream. Trees and suburban lawns and city streets. Or, it seeps into gered" means in danger of becoming extinct. shrubs along stream banks also provide shade the soil and travels as ground water. You live in "Threatened" means in danger of becoming to keep water cool for salmon and other nativeI a watershed, even if there's no body of water endangered. A designation of "endangered" fish. near your home. What happens in one part of a has more immediate protections applied to the watershed can affect streams located miles away,... listed species, because the species is closer to .There seem to be plenty of salmon at so salmon conservation efforts must also look at becoming extinct. The upper Willamette spring the market and in the restaurants. overall watershed health. Chinook, found in the Willamette River and in Are salmon really in trouble? 1'! a number of its tributary streams in Eugene, is Most of the salmon we buy in stores or What is the ESA? listed as threatened. restaurants is not from Oregon waters. It's often "ESA" stands for Endangered Species Act, a from Alaska, where salmon habitat is still federal law that protects species that are in There is a lot of talk about "habitat" pristine, or from fish farms in other parts of the I, danger of becoming extinct. The ESA was in salmon recovery discussions. country. The relatively small amount of enacted by Congress in 1973 in response to an What is "habitat," and why is it salmon from Oregon are from hatchery bred alarming decline of many animal and plant important? populations or healthy wild stocks. These fish species. The ultimate goal of the ESA is to Habitat is the physical, chemical and biological are not from populations that are protected' return endangered and threatened species to environment that enables a species to live. For under the Endangered Species Act. Since it is the point where they no longer need the law's salmon, it is made up of clean, cool water in illegal for ESA-listed wild salmon to be caught protections. The ESA has three basic missions: the right amounts; trees and shrubs that shade and sold, the salmon you buy are generally not (1) to identify species needing protection and streams and help filter pollutants before they the ones that are protected. So, while you may the meansnecessaiy to protect and recover enter the water; gravel and rocks in the river see lots of salmon in stores or restaurants, other those species; (2) to prevent harm to listed bed; and all the other creatures that live there; populations of wild salmon are actually in species; and (3) to prevent and punish the some of which are food for salmon. And severe decline. "taking" of listed species and destruction. of because salmon and people share the same their habitats. The ESA includes a variety of habitat, .everything we do in managing our If salmon are threatened, why is any regulations and other tools for saving species land and water affects salmon. Destruction of fishing for salmon allowed at all? ~ threatened with extinction. The National habitat essential to a listed species is a violation There are several different species of salmon in Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the ESA, so salmon conservation efforts are Oregon, and for any one species of salmon, Fisheries (NOAA Fisheries) and the U.S. Fish often focused on protecting water quality and there are distinct populations. Some popula- and Wildlife Service (USFWS) share responsi- riparian habitat... tions of wild salmon are healthy and can bility for administration of the ESA..: (continued on back)