Habitat destruction is the main problem everything from lack of shade to motor oil.

They do have salmon hatcheries in Russia I believe. I am in favor of hatcheries in rivers that have no native populations left. I really don't like planted fish either. Your email address has the word Lahotan in it. Is that a reference to the introduced trout in Lake Lenore?

And C&R is better with a 5% mortality than bonking fish on the head. Thats what most people are trying to say. Sure some rivers should be closed to recover. But NO NATIVE STEELHEAD SHOULD BE RETAINED AT ALL in any river and barbless hooks should be used. The barbless hook idea may be tough on the guides though as many of their clients are inexperienced.