CM -
While it is the case that for Puget Sound Chinook (which includes the Elwha fish) the managers have moved from an escapement drive models to an eploitation rate model it is still the case that the at the least inside mixed stock fisheries are often limited by impacts on one of the weaker stocks. Every year it seems at NOF that the impacts on a given stock (often north Hood Canal, Stillaguamish, etc) will limit (or in some caseslead to a re-shaping of the mixed stock fisheries). While different from the older weak stock management the current management remains (at least for Washington fisheries) de facto weak stock management; just that the weakest stock is now determined by which every one reaches the ESA allowed impacts first.

Bushbear -
Thanks for the mark information. It will be interesting to see how things change for the next 10 to 20 years.

I'm not sure that genetics is still in the population. My understand that those huge hogs were typically 6 to 8 years old. The most recent age information that I have seen showed that currently 13% of the returining Elwha fish are 3 years, 57% 4 years old, and 29% 5 years old. CM is right that the habitat will continue to apply pressure for those larger/older fish (that is what worked the best) however the continued selection pressure from those ocean fisheries will continue to pull the population towards younger fish. In the end the population age/size structure (genetics) will likely reach some sort of static situation balancing the selective pressure from the habitat and the fisheries. The end result will be a population that is both younger/smaller and less productive than that found historically.

Tight lines
Curt