Without getting into it too much on this thread...I think that there is some validity to "managing them into the ground"...and it does include the cyclical weather patterns, and habitat, and harvest issues...

When the cycles push the fish populations down, or the habitat destruction does, or harvest does, or whatever else does...we have two options; fix the problems, or...

...lower escapement levels so that we still have harvestable amounts of fish, and then harvest those fish.

If you look at the e-goals vs. the actual escapements on the Skagit, they are mirror images....almost...as populations drop to around the e-goals, we artificially lower the e-goals, and "Voila!", we are now making escapement again, and can have harvest seasons.

Now that certainly doesn't happen everywhere, but that indeed is managing them into the ground, in an effort to maintain harvest. It's the same thing that the Quinaults have done with the escapement goals vs. actual escapement on the Queets.

Not making escapement enough to have the harvest they want? No problem...lower the e-goal, instant healthy run, harvest.

Fish on...

Todd