When the barbless hook rule was created in the salt for salmon Chinook weren't considered endangered at that time. Not to the extent they are now anyway. I don't remember the year...some time in the late 1970's I believe. Shortly after the limit went from three to two. Anyone remember the year? Of course that was only for salmon and not all saltwater fishing.
And if we were actually using "reason and logic" then we would have quit fishing statewide years ago to recover the fish.