Brian - Soory, however Bob is touching a intersting and important issue that I can't resist exploring.

Bob -
Productivity is a measure of how productive a pair of fish may be. Under very good habitat conditions a 2 pair of fish will produce more offspring than under poorer conditions - typically unstable streambeds are less than optimum habitat conditions.

Why is rip-rapping of the stream banks still allowed - the short answer is that society demands it.

A short stream would have less area which may or may not be cancelled by increase parr densities. It is also important to recognized rearing density of parr on large streams (main stem rivers) is much less than the tribuatries

In reviewing the steelhead escapement goals in Western Washington- specifically the Boldt case area - we need to remember what you pointed out. That is the goals were established roughly 20 years ago. At that time very little was known about many of the details need to establish precise goals. The folks that worked on that whole process were forced to make a number of judgements on what data and values to use. In nearly every case they selected values that would tend to err on the side of the resource - in effect it was acknowledge that those goals were conservative (erring on the side of the fish) and were likely above the MSH level. With more river specific data and 2 decades of increased understanding of spawner/recruit relationship in steelhead populations more accurate assessments of actual MSH levels can be made. The fact the most times the revised goals are lower more often isn a measure of how conservative the original goals were.

Why are the other regions (I assume you other areas of the Pacific) establishing higher goals than the revised ones seen in Washington - In not sure that they are -

Many areas continue to allow fishing without any goals. When I have looked at areas that have established escapement goals in recent years I have found where the approaches would produce results much different those seen in W. Washington. Again once must needs to remember the WAshington was a decade or more in front of this issue.

Happy Holidays and may the New Year bring you all tight lines
S malma