Grandpa I have never ever even once stated or hinted that I wanted all hatcherys closed. There is no way you could even think that after the things i have posted in here without taking huge assumptions about the things i have said.

Historicaly wild fish return over broader ranges of time than hatchery fish do. For instance the typical hatchery winter steelhead run is in December and january with a few early and a few late. However wild runs have always returned starting in november and lasting through April. This type of thing creates an overpopulation of fish for a very short period of time. Rather than the same population over a long period of time. Thats just common sence. There are not enough wild fish to draw the attention of a large number of these predators.. In hood canal I would be willing to bet that the animals follow the huge chum runs down to Hoodsport and all the other salmon hatcheries in the area then when thoes runs are over they go after the fewer wild fish that are in that area.
Aren't you the guys who are always talking about how much help the Chums in hood canal need and how hatcheries are the answer??
it;s my guess that if it weren't for the astronimical numbers of hatchery fish the sea lions wouldn't be there to eat the wild ones to begin with.. The same thing happens in the Columbia during the spring chinook run which is vastly dominated by hatchery fish. The sea lions wouldn't be there if the eun was just wild. They are just responding to a fake abundance. Same can be said for the Columbia river gilnetters.. They are just responding to a fake abundance!

although i would be happy to listen to what any biologist has to say providing he actually studied this issue