Preston,

I've heard about Atlantics in BC streams; I've also heard that every once in a while an Atlantic is caught in Puget Sound streams that cannot be attributed to net pen releases. I think there are definitely remnant numbers of Atlantics around. However, given the number of years they've been around in Washington waters, and the concerted efforts to actually start a run 15-20 years ago, I believe the fish just doesn't have what it takes to establish viable populations in this neck of the woods.

Similar efforts to establish runs in the Great Lakes have also failed and historically, there were landlocked Atlantic salmon runs in Lake Ontario tribs. The species appears to be very habitat specific.

I guess it all depends on how you feel about unknowns. The possibility of a run will always be an unknown until it actually happens, but after 20 years, it just seems the possibility is very remote.