Summary: The ISAB fosters a scientific approach to fish and wildlife recovery and the use of sound scientific methods in research related to the programs of NOAA Fisheries, the Council, and the Tribes. It is understood that the interests of NOAA Fisheries relate particularly to anadromous fish conservation and management, while those of the Council and the Tribes include all fish and wildlife populations affected by operation and development of the Columbia River Basin hydroelectric system. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for federal stewardship of the Nation’s marine and anadromous fish, and marine mammals. The Council is charged to “protect, mitigate and enhance” fish (anadromous and resident) and wildlife as affected by operation and development of the hydroelectric system. The Tribes manage fish and wildlife resources on their respective reservations, are co-managers on ceded lands, and are responsible to ensure treaty provisions governing natural resources are secured to future generations.

The ISAB is a standing body with general tasks that guide the ISAB work plan. Specific ISAB assignments are commonly generated within the fiscal year, often span fiscal years, and are sometimes unanticipated. The ISAB’s general tasks or review charge is described below, followed by proposed assignments for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011.

General Tasks

The ISAB will address scientific and technical issues relating to the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program, tribal fish and wildlife programs, and the NOAA Fisheries Recovery Program for Columbia River Basin salmonids. Principal activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1) Evaluate the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program on its scientific merits in time to inform amendments to the fish and wildlife program and before the Council requests recommendations from the region.

2) Provide scientific review of NOAA Fisheries recovery planning activities for Columbia River Basin stocks when requested.

3) Review the scientific and technical issues associated with efforts to improve anadromous fish survival through all life stages, based on adaptive management approaches.

4) Review and provide advice on priorities for conservation and recovery efforts, including research, monitoring, and evaluation and data management.

5) Provide scientific reviews of topics identified as critical to fish recovery and conservation in the Columbia River Basin.

6) Evaluate the scientific merits of plans and measures proposed to ensure satisfaction and continuation of tribal treaty fishing rights in the Columbia River Basin and other tribal efforts to restore and manage fish and wildlife resources.

7) Compare the various plans, strategies, analytical tools and methods employed by the Council, NOAA Fisheries, the Columbia River Basin Indian Tribes, and others related to the management of Columbia River Basin fish and wildlife to identify areas of consensus, disagreement, uncertainty, and opportunity.

In addition, the Council’s 2009 Fish and Wildlife Program directs the Council to work with the ISAB to organize a series of Columbia River science and policy exchanges to discuss scientific and technical developments, and international issues in key policy areas.

To the extent allowed by time and resources, the ISAB provides specific scientific advice on topics and questions requested from the region or the ISAB itself and approved by the Oversight Panel by majority vote. Fish and wildlife agencies and others may submit questions to the ISAB. The ISAB may also identify questions and propose reviews. The Oversight Panel, in consultation with the ISAB, reviews these questions in a timely manner and decides which are amenable to scientific analysis, are relevant to the Tribes’, Council’s, and NOAA Fisheries’ programs, and fit within the ISAB’s work plan. As stated in the ISAB’s Terms of Reference, many questions pertaining to the recovery of the Columbia River ecosystem contain both scientific and policy aspects. The ISAB should confine itself to dealing only with scientific aspects of issues.