From the article "The findings of Kostow and Zhou (2006) received cosiderable attention due to the magnitude of the estimated decline in population productivity attributed to ecological effects of the hatchery program on natural-origin steelhead(~50% reduction in natural-origin adult recruitment during high hatchery return years). Concerns about ecological effects of hatchery fish on protected salmon and steelhead stocks, largely due to the results of that study, have led to numerous hatchery management changes throughout the Pacific Northwest (e.g., East Fork Lewis River steelhead, Puget Sound steelhead, Skagit River steelhead, MolallaRiver steelhead, Sandy River spring Chinook Salmon O.tshawytscha, Willamette River spring Chinook Salmon and steelhead, and Oregon coastal Coho Salmon O.kisutch). However, it remains uncertain whether these changes increased natural-origin salmon and steelheadproduction."

Thanks to the Kostow study and those who promoted it hatchery production was reduced in all of the aforementioned rivers including one of my home rivers.. the Lewis. Note Puget sound steelhead also for all of you King County residents.

Hopefully WDFW can use this study to fight against WFC. That would be my goal.