§460ss–1 Establishment

Summary

The Secretary must name the Klamath River basin’s anadromous fish habitats and resources as the Klamath River Basin Conservation Area. Working with the task force set up by the law, the Secretary must create and run a 20-year Klamath River Basin Conservation Area Restoration Program. The program must follow the Klamath River Basin Fisheries Resource Plan and aim to bring the migrating fish populations (fish that move from the ocean into rivers to spawn) back to healthy levels and keep them there. The Secretary must monitor and coordinate research and carry out actions such as improving and restoring habitat and access, fixing damaged watersheds, upgrading hatcheries and rearing ponds, running an intensive short-term stocking program that protects genetic diversity, and improving fish migration by removing barriers or adding bypass facilities. Where possible, restoration work should hire unemployed commercial fishermen, Indians, and others who rely on the fish. If the Secretary lacks control over some work, the Secretary must make written agreements with the federal, state, and local agencies involved and with the Area Indian tribes that spell out each party’s responsibilities.