DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RE- LATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, DC. NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES [CLERK’S NOTE.—The subcommittee was unable to hold hearings on nondepartmental witnesses, the statements and letters of those submitting written testimony are as follows:] DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY The American Fisheries Society (AFS) would like to provide input that may assist you in the task of determining the level of fiscal year 2005 appropriations for the Department of the Interior’s, Biological Research Discipline (BRD) of the U.S. Geo- logical Survey (USGS), the Fisheries Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and the Bu- reau of Land Management (BLM). As the Nation’s largest association of fisheries and aquatic science professionals with 9,000 members representing all states, com- monwealths, and trust territories, we believe it is essential that interests of our members and our profession be considered in the appropriations process for agencies supporting fisheries and aquatic science and conservation. We ask this letter be in- cluded in the official record of the agency’s appropriation hearings. The Nation’s fisheries annually provide billions of dollars in recreational and com- mercial benefits. Millions of Americans and visitors spend hundreds of millions of hours fishing the country’s rivers, streams, lakes, and marine coastal waters. Over the past few years the Congress has taken critically important actions to conserve these resources to ensure that their benefits will continue to be enjoyed by future generations. However, despite Congress’ actions, our fisheries resources are at risk and in too many cases threatened. Additional funds are needed to better implement the management and research programs that are essential to reverse the current decline in many of our fisheries. Although we understand that this is a period of strongly competing government priorities, we also wish to note that robust research and technology development programs are the only means by which more effective and efficient fisheries man- agement tools and actions can be developed and tested. Management and conserva- tion decisions are only as good as the information upon which they are based and there is substantial evidence to suggest that better information is critically needed here. To address these needs the Society offers the following recommendations for your consideration. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Biological Resources Discipline The Biological Resources Discipline (BRD) provides critical scientific research and information needed for the effective management and restoration of the Nation’s in- land, anadromous, and estuarine fisheries and aquatic resources. With no regulatory role, BRD provides high-quality unbiased science for our nation’s natural resources decision makers. (1) 2 In light of past under funding of the BRD, AFS is disappointed over the fiscal year 2005 request of $167.6 million for the Biology component. This is almost a $7 million decrease from the fiscal year 2004 budget. AFS also notes that although re- cent BRD budgets show progress by tracking in the same direction as inflation, they still are not keeping up with inflation and have not yet made up for the 20 percent decrease experienced in 1996. AFS is pleased to see BRD budget request fiscal year 2005 increases for Klamath research of lake conditions and the Lost River and shortnose suckers ($2.0 million) and invasive species (∂ $1.0 million). AFS also supports a fiscal year 2005 budget request increase of $1.3 million for the new BRD initiative of Science on the DOI Landscape, especially its emphasis on fisheries (aquatic and endangered resources). AFS also supports new fiscal year 2005 funding of $1 million for additional NBII (National Biological Information and Infrastructure) Nodes in California and the Chesapeake Bay where issues of water quality/quantity and species recovery/main- tenance are critically important to fisheries, aquatic resources, and our national en- vironmental heritage. The Society is also concerned by programs that show a decrease in fiscal year 2005. Of particular importance to fishery research, restoration, and management are the Co-operative Research Units (CRU) and the Biological Research and Moni- toring (BRM) programs. CRU and BRM both appear as line item decreases in the fiscal year 2005 budget request. We encourage Congress to make similar earmarks to these line items. U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Fisheries Program The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and en- hance the nation’s fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems for the benefit of the American people. The Fisheries Program safeguards these resources while helping to provide recreational opportunities for the nation’s 50 million licensed anglers, as well as evaluates fish populations and their habitats and coordinates the restoration and recovery of aquatic populations, habitats, and ecosystems. The Society would like to see more money go into programs to combat aquatic nui- sance species. The fiscal year 2005 budget shows a decrease of $180,000 in funds for aquatic nuisance species. AFS is disappointed to see funds for the Fish Passage and Cooperative Projects eliminated from the fiscal year 2005 budget request.. By reconnecting aquatic species to historic habitats, many native species benefit, in- cluding salmon, trout, striped bass, walleye, paddlefish, and sturgeon. AFS also commends the fiscal year 2005 budget request for beginning to address the operations and management challenges faced by our aging National Fish Hatch- ery System, a system critical to fishery conservation, restoration, and recreation ef- forts, but that needs to be updated to function at its full capacity and achieve its management objectives. Therefore, the Society strongly supports increasing the fis- cal year 2005 request from $57 million—a $1 million decrease below the fiscal year 2004 enatced—to restore and improve the National Fish Hatchery System. Of this, we are very pleased with the $840,000 increase for hatchery operations and the $999,000 increase for hatchery maintenance, particularly to address the critical water management needs of old and outdated hatcheries. We would like to see con- tinued increases to the National Fish Hatchery System’s budget of $15 million per year for the next three years. Related to fisheries conservation and aquatic ecosystem management is the im- portant role that the USFWS plays in implementing the Endangered Species Act. AFS supports the fiscal year 2005 request of $129.4 million for the Endangered Spe- cies Line Item. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Wildlife and Fisheries The BLM manages public lands for a range of uses, including recreation, con- servation, livestock grazing, hunting and fishing, forest management and wildland fire management, cultural resource protection, and energy and mineral production. Many of the BLM lands are managed for fisheries as well as other uses. Fisheries program priorities for 2005 include: inland-fisheries conservation; subsistence fish- eries management; Pacific Northwest fisheries, including culverted fish passage issues; multi-species conservation; aquatic indicators of land condition; and partner- ships. Despite the breadth of BLM’s fishery management responsibilities and its role in conserving our Nation’s aquatic resources, the President and Congress have not funded BLM fisheries programs accordingly. In fiscal year 2002 and fiscal year 3 2003, there was a decline of more than $0.7 million and $0.5 million, respectively, in funds allocated to fisheries programs. The fiscal year 2005 budget request of $12.456 million is much closer to the 2001 enacted BLM fisheries budget. AFS rec- ommends an increase of the Fisheries Line Item to the level of fiscal year 2001, that is to $12.8 million. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Park Management For fiscal year 2005, AFS recommends supporting the Resource Stewardship Line Item at the level requested ($343.4 million). AFS also supports the fiscal year 2005 budget requests for the funding of the following programs that also have benefit to aquatic resources: Cooperative Conservation Initiative ($21 million. AFS also en- courages the Administration and Congress to continue authorization of the Rec- reational Fee Program which will expire without further authorization in fiscal year 2005. Bureau of Reclamation The AFS supports the President’s request for fiscal year 2005 for BOR. With the growing challenge of water quality and quantity, allocation and preservation, AFS wants to underscore the critical responsiblity the Bureau of Reclamation and other Federal agencies have in managing our water resources and their associated eco- systems and species for the public good, including compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The Society appreciates your consideration of our view. We welcome the oppor- tunity to provide additional information and advice regarding fisheries efforts of the Department of Commerce. PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE AMERICAN HIKING SOCIETY Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, American Hiking Society rep- resents 5,000 members and the 500,000 members of our 160 affiliated organizations. As the national voice for America’s hikers, American Hiking Society promotes and protects foot trails and the hiking experience—and