NWM,

You're right about the hatchery stock there...

Before the ESA, the fish were planted to provide harvest replacement fish for the ones killed by the dams.

After the ESA kicked in, they are now used to supplement the wild runs, and the hatchery fish themselves are listed as endangered, too, because they've been deemed essential to the recovery of the wild stocks.

Since the hatchery fish have such a low natural spawn reproduction rate, 4000 fish might not be too many when we're talking about why they're there, which is to create naturally spawned returning adults. I don't know the scientific particulars of that run, so I'm kinda guessing, but I'd be surprised if I weren't right about this one.

Hence, no fishing.

I guess the difference with the Methow is that they get even more fish back, a lot more.

Fish on...

Todd