[CPEO-MEF] Navy training killing fish in Puget Sound

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[OREGON]
Navy training killing fish in Puget Sound
09/29/02
JIM LYNCH

OLYMPIA -- The U.S. Navy routinely conducts little-known underwater
explosions in Puget Sound that can kill thousands of fish and may
imperil federally protected salmon and trout.

The Navy has run explosive training exercises for the past decade, but
federal fish regulators first became aware of them last year. Since
then, the regulators have privately argued with the Navy about how best
to minimize the number of fish killed.

About 1,000 dead and stunned fish -- mostly smelt and other small fish
-- floated to the surface during the only exercise monitored by federal
fish officials. The officials estimate 5,000 fish died from that
detonation of a 5-pound explosive charge near the Whidbey Island Naval
Air Station.

The Navy intends to conduct up to 60 such training exercises a year in
Puget Sound, according to a Navy document obtained by The Oregonian.
During exercises, Navy divers often attach 20-pound explosive charges to
dummy mines that, when detonated, can send shock waves more than half a
mile.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/front_page/1033214183326271.xml

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