by 600,000 fish in the area.
Many Washington fishermen north of the Columbia,
however, will not be affected.
Conflicts between animals and humans
are becoming more common throughout the country.
But what can be done about this growing problem?
First at 5, Craig Galbraith spoke with some local wildlife experts
to get their opinions.
Most people go to the mountains to relax and have a good time.
But problems with animals can arise.
The deer eat the roses,
the raccoons get into their garbage cans,
the beaver plug up their irrigation systems,
and then they're not so happy to be in the hills,
is generally what happens.
But more dangerous encounters can occur.
Most people think numbers of wild animals are down,
but that's not true.
Our wildlife populations, in most cases, are very healthy.
And in fact, with a lot of the animals that we have,
they're more numerous than they were in pre-settlement
or pre-European times.
In the end, will man roll the woods?
Or will the animals have the final say?
It's up to the public to decide, you know,
what kind of habitat they want,
and what amounts and what kind of animals they want out there.
Again, the limiting factor is a place for these critters to live.
All I'm saying is that if you don't want to put up with animal problems,
don't move to the hills.
In Yakima, Craig Galbraith, KNDO News, 23.
Dateline NBC will have a story tonight on the conflict between people
and the growing numbers of mountain lions in the California hills.
And that's tonight at 9 o'clock, right here on KNDO.
Two Washington apple packing companies have become one today.
Members of Blue Shallan and Trout Apples voted overwhelmingly in favor of a merger.
The companies announced that decision today.
The new corporation will become one of the five largest in the state,
with expected packings of five million boxes annually and $50 million in sales.
And in other ag news,
Washington apple growers are keeping their fingers crossed
as the U.S. House of Representatives votes today
on the future of the Federal Market Promotion Program.
The $85 million program funds overseas promotion
and advertising efforts for the nation's ag exports.
The Washington Apple Commission received $3.7 million this year alone from the program.
Congressman Richard Dock Hastings says the MPP is crucial to the state's ability to compete worldwide.
We have, for example, the European countries that subsidize their agriculture,
so we have to be involved in a certain way as we start working with the realities of GATT.
Market promotion is a legitimate expenditure.