Originally Posted By: Carcassman
200K pounds may be "a pittance" but what is the amount of spawners?


More accurately the quote should have been "That is a pittance compared to what the other predators consume."

It has been a long time since I ran the food requirements for harbor seals in Puget Sound but even then it was around 30 million pounds annually with herring a major if not the primary component. I don't think the number of harbor seals has decreased.

That said, your question is a good one. I might expand it by asking what are the major factors in limiting overall forage fish numbers throughout their respective life cycles in WA?
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