Smalma,

Your information on hooking mortality helps clear up some of the questions surrounding this issue. I am a bit confused about the actual numbers used to calculate the mortality in this situation though.

You said that, "Typical mortality in the salt is in the 10 to 20% range", and later that, "Adult fish often have higher mortality when caught on bait, especially in places like the ocean where they are still actively feeding."

Did you mean to imply that adult fish caught on bait where they are still actively feeding will likely experience a hooking mortality greater than the 10 to 20% average range?

If so, I then wonder "what is the actual rate used by the DFW" to calculate hooking and handling mortalities at ocean fisheries like Westport? What rate is utilized for fisheries at Neah Bay and for Sekiu?

Are mortalities, during the adult feeding phase, experienced with hooking and releasing coho higher than those normally experienced with chinook?

Thanks for any information you might provide.