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Show Funding problems plague hatchery The Senate Interior Appropriates Committee Monday approved $400,000 to federally fund the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery from Oct. 1, 1983 to Sept. 30, 1984, according to Senator Jake Garn's office in Washington D. C. The money must be approved by the entire Senate and the House of Representatives, and must be signed into law by the President, but Garn's aids said this should now just be a matter mat-ter of procedure. This move, even if it is approved, still leaves a hole in funding the fish halrherv between Aug. 1 and SeDt. 30. 1983. Federal funds will cease July 31 unless a contingent appropriation is made. Lee Mills, with the National Wildlife Regional office in Denver, said he does not know what will happen to the federal funding, but assured they would continue to work with the hatchery, hat-chery, and not leave it without competent compe-tent management. Warren White, manager of the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery, Hat-chery, has transfer papers for his relocation as of Aug 7, 1983. He is the last permanent employee remaining at Jones Hole. The work at the hatchery is presently present-ly being done by people from other hatcheries, hat-cheries, who are being assigned to Jones Hole on a two week basis. After two weeks, another group comes in. Though White has his transfer papers, Mills said there would continue to be competent help and management of the hatchery, at least as long as federal funds are available. It is now nearly assured that funding will be available until Oct. 1984, since the new year's funding would be futile without the interim funding. This will temporarily solve a battle which has been raging over the hatchery hat-chery since early this year when it was said federal funding would be withdrawn. During the Utah State Legislative Session, $375,000 was appropriated ap-propriated to fund the Jones Hole Hatchery. Hat-chery. The state originally meant to take over the hatchery April 1, 1983, but funding was extended until the present pre-sent July 31, 1983 cutoff date. Jones Hole was one of 40 federal fish hatcheries which appeared on a hit list early this year. It was a move by the Department of the Interior to eventually even-tually get out of the fish hatchery business altogether. The Jones Hole Fish Hatchery supplies fish to waters created under the Colorado River Continued on page 5 jones Hole... -- Continued from page 1 aeeAct, (CRSA), which includes i0ll in Colorado, Wyoming, New J.pvicoand Arizona, as well as Utah. ;u der the CRSA the federal govern- nt has an obligation to provide fish aters in those states. Each of these lies brought suit against the federal mvernment, saying without Jones ie there would be no fish to meet fhe necessary commitments. The federal government at first took the msition they would continue to provide fish as required, just not from the jles Hole Hatchery. For whatever Lons federal funding for Jones Hole continued a couple of times, to the current July 31 deadline. One of the problems faced by the federal government concerning Jones Hole was the wording of the CRSA. It stated the federal government would maintain the quality of fishing at flaming Gorge Reservoir. They were not only faced with providing fish, but providing the proper fish to assure good fishing. Jones Hole Fish Hatchery Hat-chery was accomplishing this by raising rais-ing fish to a larger size than are usually usual-ly planted in such waters. The problem arose when a study found the large Mackinaw and Brown Trout, which Flaming Gorge is famous or were preying on the small fish being be-ing planted. To correct this, Jones Hole began raising the fish to a larger size. This reversed a trend at Flaming Gorge that the fishing was continually continual-ly worse. If was feared the same practice prac-tice would not be continued if fish were brought from other federal hatcheries, or if the federal government purchased purchas-ed fish to meet their obligation. Whether the lawsuits or something else changed the federal government's mind is unknown. Whatever the reasons, if interim funding can be ar-' ranged to fund Jones Hole until Oct.l, He federal government will continue to operate the hatchery for one more year. Mills said the uncertainty of the situation should not affect the quality or quantity of the fish produced at the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery. Next year's fish are already on hand, in the form of very small fish. At this point none of the programs run by the Jones Hole Hatchery have been hurt. Mills admit-ted admit-ted that is had caused problems for the Federal Wildlife people, but these have come more in terms of manpower man-power problems than anything else. Mills said White will probably be transferred as planned, although there may be an option open for him to return for a short period of time, if that is necessary to help the new people become acquainted with the programs underway at Jones Hole. He assured that the expertise necessary to run the hatchery would continue to be there as long as someone provides funding. k .--,.;.,.r - . -Vi-xi.- - -i'-.-r"-".' - -. V-ff- (fA,:, ,- .5 . . -'. . .- ;.'--'-.'.'- ? i-fc;--.r. -.r . -.-.i'.,.,. .:. " " -" -j I"- -. ' v - j ... J I." ' i ."fi THE BATTLE to keep the Jones Hoe Fish . Hatchery open continues. Federal ending ends July 31, but this week a Congressional Congres-sional subcommittee approved 00,000 to fund the hatchery from October 1, 1983 to September 30, 1984. Funding between August 1 and September 30, 1983 is still in question. |
