by Marshall Tarrents, comment on speech of Senator Whitsett, 7/2/08, regarding introduction of non-native salmon in Klamath Basin.

"Regarding restoration of salmon to the Upper Basin"; How can you restore something that has not previously existed within that habitat before...!

I thought introduction of non-native species (Salmon) into a waterbody was against the law.

Demand, and make them produce historical evidence of Salmon habitat within the Upper Klamath Basin.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Klamath river, before the dam was built, was a seasonal muddy stream that stunk, and was contaminated with naturally occurring phosphorous. This was long before farming came on the scene there.

Sucker fish ( a specie of carp) inhabit a wide range of river, and stream drainages, and are therefore far from being endangered.

I am sure there is (somewhere) a biological census of fishes in Western rivers and stream going back many, many years.

Sucker fish, or carp, are barely edible, as they are so full of small bone clusters. I don't know about the Native tribes method of preparation of suckers for food, but about the only way they can be used is pickled, and canned. Then the bones soften, and you can eat them with less danger of choking on bones in your throat...! I learned of this method from an ole' timer when I lived in Yaak, Montana in the early 1950's. They were 'put-up' strictly as survival food for long, harsh Montana winters!

Also of several varieties of sucker fish (at least two), the so-called "Red Horse" sucker that was so predominate within the drainages there were often found to be 'full' of parasitic tape worms! Ughh! I know this to be true, because I have seen them!

You have to be really hard-up to eat suckers in the first place. For sucker fish to be held in high esteem by the Natives pretty much indicates (to me) that that was all there was available to them within that habitat!

Endangered Sucker fish are a ruse, just as the Salamanders were considered to be, until it was shown that they existed in a greater range of habitats than previously thought.

Just my .02 cents....

Marshall Tarrents