Stonefish, to follow upon C'man's post, stocking coho fry in unseeded or under seeded creeks is cheap and does add to overall production. However, that practice is not as productive as creeks adequately seeded by natural wild coho. I don't know but think the practice was largely discontinued because WDFW wants to keep hatchery and natural production separate. And the production component of fry stocking is almost impossible to accurately monitor and evaluate.

Stocking chum fry is mainly a feel good exercise. If the habitat is of good enough quality, a natural chum run can be created. South sound chum salmon streams were nearly wiped out back during intensive over-harvest in Area 9. Management changed and small scale hatchery operations were developed on several of the affected creeks. It was wildly successful, and these S. sound streams are now among the most productive producers of wild chum salmon in all of Puget Sound. Habitat quality matters. Along with intelligent harvest management.