It's been interesting (and in many ways frustrating) to see the developments that have occurred in what has been a record year of salmon returns in many basins around the state. Taken at face value, the images presented in this thread instill a sense of anger in anyone who has been concerned about the overall trend of declining stocks over the past several decades. Without question, such mass wasting is a nauseating sight to any sport fisherman whose opportunity to catch salmon has been severely limited by commercial fisheries through the years.

In reality, what we are seeing is likely the gruesome result of the same policies the Tribe has been applying to their fisheries for years being applied in a year of abnormally large returns.

I absolutely agree that this is a shameful, wasteful practice, but as has been said, the economics are sound, and the ecological benefit will likely be substantial (assuming we do get a high water event before too much decay occurs in the current location). From a fisheries management perspective, this scenario, sickening as it is to a sportsman, is probably viewed as a win-win.

Is anybody else concerned that this year's anomaly will lead to increased commercial effort that may or may not be sustainable in the next few years?