Something to add into the thought process is the fisheries that WDG/WDF created. Lowland lakes trout are created fisheries, designed to sell licenses. The delayed release programs intended to produce year-around coho and black mouth fisheries were, if not created, were major expansions on wild fisheries.

I suspect that back in the 50s salmon fishing was primarily prosecuted at maturing fish in bays and rivers. Some marine fisheries but still targeting the maturing fish.