Just on the Skagit a few years ago there was a directed fishery on adult summer Chinook without a problem. What it took was federal approval of fishing plans that allowed such fisheries under very specific conditions that had been predetermined and approved as not representing a significant increase in risk of extinction of the population.

Then again on the Skagit the killing ESA listed bull trout (two a day over 20 inches) is allowed. Again this is federally approved and in the case of the bull trout (aka Dollies) the spawning abundances have increased rather dramatically under that regulation.

As always fisheries management can be complex and the devil is in the details. However I see no reasons that if the necessary was done and a plan approved that such a fishery could not occur under the approved conditions (for example on run sizes expected to exceed 6,000 spawners). The point in calling attention to the Skagit CnR via Occupy the Skagit is get the ball rolling on the development of such a plan in proactive matter so that when the populations rebounds things would be inplace for a fishery. Without that advance work any potential fishery will be even further in the future.

BTW -
Power companies, loggers, developers, etc are killing ESA listed fish each and every day via habitat impacts.

Curt