Smalma

Those are very valid points. If we produce lots of hatchery-origin salmon we will have to fish mixed stock and with nets to take the harvestable. Unfortunately, that truth will destroy the wild stocks, as it has in the past and continues to.

I now that we disagree on this, but current wild fish escapement goals and recovery targets are (in my mind) criminally low. I lean towards at least 1 and ideal 2 kg/sq m of summer low flow spawning reaches as the goal for each species. Accommodating that level of spawners would necessarily reduce overall exploitation rate but would allow anglers access to a higher density of fish.

A question I have on "table quality" is that I know a silver-bright fish looks better, I know that as spawning approaches fat (and probably protein) is transferred to gametes so the flesh has less fat. But, on a purely food-based quality which one provides the most nutrition? I don't know. I do know that research in the 19-teens (by WDF's predecessor) found that spring chinook, taken in Columbia River hatcheries, were (their conclusion) of higher food quality than immatures taken in the ocean. This was at a time when WDF was trying to stop the ocean troll of immature salmon as being wasteful of a food product.

I have been reviewing some Russian salmon fisheries in Kamchatka and nearby areas. Their fisheries are basically traps for pink, chum, and sockeye with chinook and coho essentially reserved for recreational. Their view of MSY is escapements >1kg/sq m. Obviously, they don't have the human population and development. Yet. But they do have a whole lotta fish.