ABSTRACT
Many of the well-known factors that harm wild salmon populations (habitat degradation, hydropower development, some aspects of hatchery management, and overfishing) are symptoms of deeper, underlying causes. The loss or diminution of our connection to nature may be one such fundamental cause. Society’s general emphasis on economic growth (an increase in simple wealth) instead of true economic development (an increase in well-being) may be another. The prevailing paradigm that guides most natural resource management decisions appears to be that of a struggle to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection. In this struggle, environmental protection is seen as a burden that retards growth and economic growth is seen as inimical to environmental protection, suggesting that environmental protection goals must be “balanced” (through compromise) with economic growth goals. In this chapter, we discuss some problems inherent in this paradigm, as it applies to salmon ecosystems in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. We also recommend a shift in policy toward a “hard on the goals, soft on the people” approach: an approach that adopts rigorous environmental goals, while granting the flexibility that industry and others need to develop cost-effective ways to achieve those goals. In addition, we recommend some policy and institutional changes that emphasize the creation of economic incentives for sustainable development—wise stewardship of resources resulting in a stream of benefits over the long term, grounded in comprehensive protection of ecosystem health.
