U.S. F&W to open new fish habitats.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Fishing - Brief Article

Forging dozens of new partnerships with public and private organizations at every level, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will spend $2.3 million this year to help reopen 837 miles of fish habitat and spawning grounds in 29 states. And more than 11 percent of that recovered habitat, paid for with almost a quarter of the national funding, will result from a dozen projects in Alaska.

Salmon are a key component of the state's economy. People may be surprised, however, to learn that manmade barriers that prevent fish from reaching essential freshwater habitat can contribute dramatically to decreased escapement and smaller, or even disappearing, runs. Such obstacles can, in some cases, lead to reductions in commercial fishing, sport angling and subsistence activities.

The popular Fish Passage Program, which has helped remove dams and other obstructions since its establishment in 1999, removed 16 such barriers in Alaska alone, and has opened more...