Originally Posted By: Carcassman


IF the hatchery production is discontinued, then the wild smolts will undergo increased predation in the mainstem Columbia as there will be fewer salmonid smolts of the remaining predators to chow down on.


This is my assumption also. If Idaho cuts smolt production because of the lack of dams, I worry we won't have lower spring Chinook fisheries and very limited to non existent steelhead fisheries. I don't think wild production will keep up with demand, but I may be wrong.
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