Pesticide Lawsuit Settled with the Natl. Marine Fisheries Service

Recently, a coalition of fishing and environmental groups settled a law suit with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The settlement requires NMFS to examine the impacts that 37 pesticides commonly used in the Pacific Northwest and California have on the protected salmon and steelhead. NMFS must also design permanent measures to help users minimize harmful pesticide effects.

The settlement requires NMFS to examine the impacts that 37 pesticides commonly used in the Pacific Northwest and California have on the protected salmon and steelhead. NMFS must also design permanent measures to help pesticide users minimize harmful pesticides effects.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the 37 toxic pesticides at issue in the settlement may harm protected salmon and steelhead. Most of the pesticides have been detected in major salmon and steelhead rivers in the Pacific Northwest and California.

More than five years ago, a federal court ordered EPA to consult with NMFS on the impacts that certain pesticides have on salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest and California. EPA began submitting the required assessments to NMFS, but NMFS never identified the measures needed to protect salmon and steelhead. The federal Endangered Species Act required NMFS to complete such actions within 90 days of receiving EPA’s assessments. They never did.

July 30, 2008, NMFS finally agreed to complete the overdue assessments over a four-year period. These consultations are expected to culminate in undetermined measures designed to reduce the amount of pesticides that run into salmon-supporting rivers and streams. Success.