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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release July 20, 1999
                  PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES CURT SMITCH
            AS COMMISSIONER OF THE PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION

The President today announced his intent to appoint Curt Smitch as Commissioner of the Pacific Salmon Commission.

Mr. Curt Smitch, of Olympia, Washington, is Special Assistant to the Governor for Natural Resources, Executive Policy Office, Office of the Governor. In this position, he is responsible for the development of the Washington State Salmon Recovery Strategy. He also is the Chair of the Governor's Cabinet for Natural Resources, which is comprised of 12 agencies that have a direct effect on salmon recovery. In addition, Mr. Smitch is the Chair of the Government Council on Natural Resources and Acting U.S. Salmon Commissioner for the States of Oregon and Washington. Prior to joining the Governor's office, Mr. Smitch served as the Assistant Regional Director, North Pacific Coast Ecoregion, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where he was responsible for the President's Forest plan, the Habitat Conservation Plan program and the Endangered Species Act issues in the States of Oregon and Washington.

Mr. Smitch received a B.A. in Biology and in Education and a M.A. in General Science Education from Western Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Education from Michigan State University.

The Pacific Salmon Commission serves as a forum for cooperation between the United States and Canada in the establishment of general fishery management regimes for the International conservation and harvest sharing of intermingling North Pacific salmon stock. It manages the intercepting fisheries and also establishes a basis for bilateral cooperation on research, restoration and enhancement of salmon stocks on the Canadian and U.S. Pacific Coast.

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