Yes, yes, and yes.

I want wild salmon. I want wild salmon in habitat that can support populations of wild salmon. Line in the sand is a good idea.

I've written before that the Stilly hatchery Chinook program should continue. Maybe be increased, at least to a level that can produce returns large enough to ensure continuation of Stilly Chinook genetics. But using Stilly Chinook as the reason to prohibit recreational fishing in the Stilly for most of the months of the year is disingenuous. Oh, and it leads to a lack of respect for WDFW, which is where the agency's disingenuous actions have taken me. Anyway, I digress. Continue the Stilly hatchery Chinook program, on the chance that perhaps within the next 100 years the habitat will recover to the point that it can once again support a self-sustaining wild Chinook population. But every serious biologist has to know that time ain't now, and it will be a very long time coming, if ever.

As Smalma points out, it isn't just the Stilly Chinook that are in trouble. It's just a matter of time, and not a long time, before every river system is closed to recreational fishing for reasons like are used on the Stilly. Society isn't going to go along with the massive environmental restrictions that would be necessary to recover PS Chinook habitat in every river within our lifetimes. I think we should protect the populations and the habitat that is viable, try to recover the habitat that is realistically recoverable within an acceptable timeframe. And if people so choose, then accept hatchery populations in the watersheds that cannot support viable, self-sustaining wild runs.