Quote:
indeed, but only considering one factor (ie the ocean) means you are getting an incomplete understanding. Particularly in freshwater rearing species like coho and steelhead if habtiat is degraded then long term the population is in trouble. Yes ocean survival can fluctuate dramatically (eg. 1-25% for steelhead) that means from 1,000 smolts you might get anywhere from 10 adults to 250 depending on ocean conditions, but long term one year of good or bad adult returns don't make or break a population of salmon.


I agree, but if you have poor habitat and an awesome ocean, you are still going to see good returns. (Im talking fall kings here) Which spend about 3 months as a fry before entereing the ocean. The time that fall kings spend in any river habitat is minimal. Therefore they are effected less by the river habitat than a steelhead or coho, which may use the river for as much as 18 months.

If you have great habitat (togiak) and poor ocean conditions you get what we have been getting the last two years. ( NOTHING, compare to the last 10 years)


Edited by kevin lund (10/27/09 04:39 PM)
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