One needs to remember that a hatchery needs higher quality water than the wild fish in the river. Rearing fish in close quarters raises the risk of disease. Water quality and quantity are paramount.

We should admit that since the first listing we have generally done a poor job. As Rivrguy noted, we keep adding people and that subtracts salmon.

I can see, and there are examples of, successful hatchery operations and successful wild runs. They just ain't in the same place. And, so long as we worship marine mixed stock fisheries, ignore the salmonid food needs in the ocean, starve the streams for nutrients, and maximize predator numbers, be it people, seals, or birds, wild fish are but a hazy memory. And if we don't deal with marine water productivity, so are the hatchery fish.