SBD,

That is a very good, and basic and difficult question.

My original intent was to see what could be done if we started all over and could separate the ESA requirements out and away from harvest levels, and how that would be possible, if at all. I don't see how, and if it were easy, we would have done it.

Personally, I would like to allow native fish to spawn and make lots of babies. I would like to either move all commercial fishing out of the river or at least to selective methods or terminal areas. I would like to see the carrying capacity of the rivers increase. I would like to see us move away, somehow, from the death spiral of maximum sustainable yield. I would like to be able to continue some vestige of my hunter/gatherer genetic drive and catch and eat fish.

The problem is that population, politics, and honest differences of opinion all intrude on my perfect world 8^D

I think we will either figure this all out, or not. If, and when, a good solution develops it will later appear as obvious to all concerned. Just right now it is not clear.