Klamath River Tribes Appeal to European Union for Help

For Immediate Release July 19, 2004

For More Information Contact:

In Scotland:
Kelly Catlett, Friends of the River,
011-44-870-400-7293 room 262 ( Edinburgh Marriott)
Jeff Mitchell, Klamath Tribes
011-44-870-400-7293 room 352 ( Edinburgh Marriott)
Mobile 011-44-782-172-8594

After 7/24/04 contact in the US:
Leaf Hillman, Klamath Tribes, 800-505-2785 x2040
Kelly Catlett, Friends of the River, 916-443-3155 x221

Native American Tribes Appeal to European Union for Help

Brussels- Representatives of four Native American Tribes and a California
based conservation group arrived in Brussels today seeking help from the
European Union. At issue is a complex of hydropower dams that are having a
devastating impact on salmon and other fish species in what was once
America's third greatest salmon producing river: the Klamath. The dams are
owned and operated by a subsidiary of the multi-national energy giant
Scottish Power, headquartered in Glasgow. The tribes and their allies in
the conservation and commercial fishing community explain that their
traditional way of life and cultures are at stake. The Klamath, Hoopa,
Karuk, and Yurok Tribes have lived along the Klamath since 'time
immemorial' and their religious ceremonies and cultural practiced revolve
around the salmon and other fish species.

Jeff Mitchell, a member of the Klamath Tribe and acting emissary for the
four Native American Nations that live along the Klamath River explains,
"Our fundamental human rights are being denied and our way of life
destroyed. In the 1800s the US government allowed the buffalo to be hunted
into near extinction in order to destroy the way of life of Tribes in the
Great Plains. Today, a similar event is taking place, this time the
destruction of the salmon fishery threatens to destroy the tribes of
Northern California and Oregon."

The Tribes and their allies contend that Scottish Power is in a position
to help. Scottish Power purchased PacifiCorp, a US based power company in
1999. Now PacifiCorp's Klamath River dams are being re-licensed by the US
government. The dams currently block access to over 350 miles of historic
salmon spawning grounds. Tribes, environmentalists, and fishermen are
demanding that the new license require the company to provide fish passage
the dams. The dams currently have no fish ladders. The river supporters
suggest that some dams will need to be removed and others fitted with
ladders in order for the fishery to survive.

According to Kelly Catlett of the California based conservation group
Friends of the River, "When Scottish Power purchased PacifiCorp, they
inherited certain social and environmental responsibilities. This includes
restoring the Klamath fishery."

The Tribes and conservationists have been cultivating allies in Scotland,
and last week MSP Robin Harper introduced a resolution in Scottish
Parliament endorsing the campaign.

So far Scottish Power has offered to talk to the group which leaves the
Tribes and their allies "cautiously optimistic." But according the
Mitchell, "We've had no shortage of talks. What we need is action before
it is too late."

Since construction of the first dam in 1917, salmon populations have
plummeted to 10% of pre-dam levels. Some species such as the Candlefish
have gone extinct, some salmon runs extirpated, and others listed as
Threatened on the Endangered Species list.


To view previous press releases see:
http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/PressRoom.html

To view previous news articles see:
http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/CaliforniaRiverNews.php