I still need to listen to the presentation in hopes that the audio will elaborate on some of the rather (to me) complex aspects of the studies and answer several questions.

The first that comes to mind is the PBDE level. Seriously, in the Nisqually? Did the tribal casino dump their fire extinguisher system into the river?? (That is the common usage of that stuff, right?)

Then there is the parasitic infection. Again, why the Nisqually? Wouldn't that organism be carried to and infest other rivers in P.S.?

And, finally, the statistics indicating that yearlings have a higher mortality rate than fingerlings getting through the Narrows. Again, what has changed in the last 30-40 years? Well, while not politically correct to point the finger at pinnipeds the fact remains that Puget Sound harbor seals have increased from several hundred in the early '70s to around 17,000 today. Seals may not chase a fingerling but a yearling? Predation is mentioned but it just seemed to me that the authors preferred to not go there. Hakim's Razor comes to mind.