According to the National Marine Fisheries Service three commonly-used agricultural pesticides are increasing the chance of extinction for 28 different threatened and endangered salmon stocks. The federal fisheries services assured that the three poisons pose either minimal or no threat to protected salmon stocks. NMFS told that the three pesticides — chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion — interfere with the ability of salmon to swim, find food, reproduce, and escape bigger fish trying to eat them.
NMFS also said that if these pesticides are used as currently authorized, they are “likely to jeopardize the continued existence” of all 28 threatened and endangered salmon populations, the 377- page assessment concludes. Joshua Osborne-Klein, of Earthjustice, informed that the mess is due to the Bush administration’s EPA refuses to take seriously the harm that pesticides pose to salmon.
It is said that EPA has approved 54 pesticides without checking with federal fish biologists as required by Endangered Species Act. Acting on Earthjustice’s lawsuit against EPA a federal court ordered EPA to consult with federal fish biologists at NMFS on the impacts these pesticides have on salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest and California.
NMFS agreed to complete the long overdue assessments, released pursuant to that settlement agreement, represents the first time NMFS has evaluated large-scale impacts of pesticides on salmon. The assessment concludes that three of the most dangerous pesticides still on the market are “jeopardizing” salmon and steelhead stocks. Joshua Osborne-Klein, of Earthjustice, informed that the federal government has just admitted that these three deadly poisons are washing off into our rivers and streams and harming west coast salmon runs and who knows what else.
He added that the government says these poisons are increasing the risk of salmon extinction substantially. We need to find alternatives and act quickly to prevent these chemicals from reaching west coast rivers and streams.
