Anandromous fish from hatcheries have poor survival rates.

“Steelhead turned out by hatcheries quickly evolve into a kind of swimming livestock with a poor chance of surviving in the wild and may carry their inferior traits into wild populations that biologists are trying to save, a new study of fish in Oregon’s Hood River has found.”

Read the rest of the story: Hatchery fish found to be poor at survival. A study indicates steelhead are so bad at surviving that they are little help to wild runs. By Michael Milstein. The Oregonian.

New Rocky Mountain Front travel plan emphasizes solitude rather than ATVs

The Lewis and Clark National Forest issued a new travel plan governing the lower two-thirds of the Rocky Mountain Front for the next 20 years.

It came after a full environmental impact statement and receipt of 46,000 comments. It looks like good news for wildlife.

Story originally from the Missoulian and reprinted in the Billings Gazette. By Perry Backus.

Changes in weather, environment outpace forest fire policy, panelist says

Changes in weather, environment outpace policy, panelist says. By Perry Backus. Missoulian.

This is story is from a panel at a two-day conference set up a group named Western Progress, a progressive policy group. The focus is on building a “restoration economy” to fit the conditions of the interior West.

Grizzly that mauled Yellowstone Park employee while he was hunting has been found dead

He did shoot the bear, and many assumed it would die. They were right.

It was found in Little Trail Creek near Gardiner, Montana with part of its jaw blasted off. It had one or two year cubs which are still in the area.

Story in the Billings Gazette.

Servheen impressed by Selkirk grizzly’s journey to north central Idaho

Chris Servheen is the grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Here is the story in the Missoulian. By Michael Jamison.

Craig Says He’ll Stay in Senate, Defying the G.O.P.

Craig Says He’ll Stay in Senate, Defying the G.O.P. By Carl Hulse. New York Times

This is a huge story in Idaho, and, of course, nationwide too.

Update. Editorial by the Idaho Statesman. Our view: Craig’s broken promise is unfair to Idahoans.

Idaho GOP divided as Craig says he’s staying. By John Miller. Associated Press Writer. Craig says his accumulated seniority will help Idaho, but his party has effectively taken away the power that comes with seniority — he is no longer “ranking member” on his Senate committees.

For Craig, legal fight gets tougher if he presses Minn. case. By Patrick Condon, Associated Press Writer

CBS station recreates events before Sen. Craig’s arrest. USA Today.

Text of Larry Craig’s Statement. Associated Press.

Finally, I should add that if Craig’s obnoxious anti-wildlife amendments make it into law, it won’t be the Republicans’ fault. It will rest on Senator Dianne Feinstein (Dem-CA) who chairs the committee.

Larry Craig’s True Crimes Against Nature. By Lee Patton. Op-ed News.com. Note that begreen had an article with the same headline in New West back on 9-02-07.