Keith,

Wild broodstock programs do have one other purpose aside from harvest augmentation. When a salmon or steelhead run has been extirpated, such as occurred upstream of the dams on the Cowlitz and NF Lewis, broodstock programs are the basis for restoring or recovering populations of the lost fish. PacificCorp is reintroducing salmon and steelhead in the upper watershed above Swift Dam. Since only or mainly hatchery steelhead return to the trap at Merwin Dam, obtaining wild broodstock is necessary in order to have suitable steelhead (Chambers Ck stock aren't allowed) to stock in the upper watershed.

Otherwise, Todd and Parker are correct. Broodstock steelhead programs augment harvest, but do not contribute as much to population productivity as leaving those same broodstock in the river to reproduce naturally. We tried this in the Sauk and Skagit Rivers in the late 1970s and mid 1980s. Fish returned, and impressive numbers a couple times, but on average the return was less than if the wild fish had been left alone to spawn naturally in the river. Both programs were terminated. The important lesson of the programs was that broodstocking could be used for recovery if and when natural reproduction gets so bad that it's necessary to intervene to avoid extirpation.

Sg