The SRKWs need to eat. The fisheries that are the problem are the ones that are in front of them, especially those that take immatures. By the time the runs get to WA as adults lots have been taken. Closing just/only the WA fisheries will likely not put very many more fish in whale tummies. Killing pinnipeds that eat adult salmonids, like those killed in the Willamette, will not help the SRKWs as the food has already passed them by.
As Rivrguy noted, the place to start is BC and AK, plus all the fisheries on immature Chinook here.
But you are right, Larry, that if we are going to save the SRKWs that immediate and very unpopular action will need to be taken. Pinnipeds killed, fisheries closed, more intensive bay and river fisheries if you believe the current goals, more hatchery production where we can keep the adults off the grounds. All of that. And none of it will be done because it is just to politically painful to implement. So, we'll restrict whale watching and makes boats go slower so they can starve to death in peace.
To expand on the idea that the taking of immatures is a particular problem the study on harbor seal predation had their impact primarily on outbound smolt rather than returning adults. The issue on the Willamette was one of sea lion predation on wild steelhead rather than food for SRKW. However, by ensuring an improved (versus extirpation) population of that unique stock we also ensure increased returns available to SRKW.
From my perspective the Congress needs to immediately amend the MMPA so as to allow the various agencies to manage all of the resources with particular emphasis on recovering ESA listed species. If that means reducing the number of pinnipeds and avian predators then so be it. Failure to do that will doom any other efforts and let's not forget the aspect of unintended consequences particularly as it relates to funding.
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