Todd,

I think we have it clear now. Over-harvest contributed to prior run reductions, which steelhead rebounded from in the 1980s. The reductions in the 90s occurred even tho harvest restrictions were still in place, as they are today. That can only be explained by habitat, either freshwater or marine, or both.

GBL,

I've also fished the Skagit since before Boldt, and as convenient as it is to blame treaty gillnetting, the data simply don't support that as a significant contributor to wild steelhead harvest except in 1974 and 1975. After that, there weren't enough steelhead, hatchery or wild to support a significant sport or treaty fishery. Since most wild steelhead are 4 years old, it's pretty silly to blame treaty gillnetting for losses that occurred when there was no gillnetting.

Sg