OncyT,

Ouch! That's alarming. I wasn't aware of the plans for increased hatchery URBs. My understanding, which I now know was faulty, was that URBs were the healthiest natural chinook population in the state. To the extent that the population is sustained by hatchery URB strays, that undermines the allegation. The Handford Reach is very stable, good quality chinook habitat, given the present ramping and flow fluctuation limitations on Priest Rapids, which is not to say that it couldn't be better. Nonetheless, that quality habitat coupled with good juvenile passage conditions at the four lower mainstem dams, could conceivably support an average harvest rate of nearly 70%. However, we know that hydrologic conditions at Priest Rapids varies, as do the juvenile passage conditions at the lower mainstem dams. Knowing this, increasing hatchery URB production and managing for a composite (integrated) population is highly likely to lead to exactly the condition of all the depressed, threatened, and endangered populations. On the surface, it looks like repeating exactly the mistakes made before, only knowing full well that a mistake is being repeated.

Oh this looks like fun! I've just been pulled into one of the mid-C relicensings. Further evidence that no good deed goes unpunished. So when does the LCR URB fishery become ad clip only? I may become a vegetarian yet.

Sg