UPDATES.

NOT OFF THE HOOK

When Congress passed the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act, some optimists thought that overexploitation of U.S. fisheries might finally be coming to an end. Yet, a new report from Congress finds "overfishing levels in the U.S. are the highest ever recorded." The status of more than 75 percent of fish stocks considered in the study are now classified as unknown; there are now 98 endangered species.

The lack of fisheries regulation has long jeopardized the world's marine life (see "A Sea of Troubles," January/February 1998). The Act, it was hoped, would identify and legally protect at-risk species, aiding in their recovery. But while the report has given a "clear picture of the precarious state of the nation's fisheries," it also shows, according to Lee Crockett, director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, "that not enough has been done." He warns that unless we enforce the Act immediately, "we are at risk of losing our fisheries resources forever." CONTACT: Marine Fish Conservation Network, [phone], www.conservefish.org. -- Hillary Young

LYNX COMING HOME

Colorado Division of Wildlife biologists released 50 lynx into the state's mountains last spring and "all went very well," reports biologist Dave Kenvin. "They are in excellent condition and we were able to get them to the release sites we wanted." This is reassuring, as lynx reintroduction programs have historically been controversial (see "Troubled Homecoming," March/April 1998). Seventeen of the 41 cats released last year in Colorado died shortly after. "We understand that we released animals that were not in good-enough physical condition," says Todd Malmsbury of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. "We quickly changed that and have had very little problem with starvation since then."

This time around, besides outfitting the cats with satellite-monitored collars, biologists held the animals in captivity almost three weeks longer. "Our ultimate goal is to build a self-sustaining population," says Kenvin. This is the last year of the reintroduction program in Colorado. CONTACT: Colorado Division of Wildlife, [phone], www.dnr.state.co.us. -- Amanda Presley

AS THE CHIPS FALL

Missouri chip mills may be a thing of the past, thanks to a two-year moratorium on new construction ordered by the Missouri Clean Water Commission in April. The halt intends to protect the Ozarks and Missouri from clear-cutting and water runoff problems plaguing other states (see "Chip Mills Clear-Cutting the South," Currents, September/October 1999). The Ozarks is particularly sensitive due to its low soil fertility.

Although Missouri has only two chip mills, officials are concerned about the rapid growth of such industries across the South. A governor's advisory committee, created in 1998 to determine the fate of mill construction in Missouri, will finish its recommendations in late July. An early draft encourages more education, new laws and economic incentives to award land owners following "best management practices." The report also establishes a Forest Resource Council to foster communication between environmentalists, landowners and industry, as well as to research more sustainable practices. CONTACT: Dogwood Alliance, [phone], www.dogwoodalliance.org, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, www.dnr.state.mo.us/deq/chipmills, [phone]. -- A.P