Find the discussion about MSY escapement goals and the lowering of those goals interesting.

If indeed the managers are worshipping at the altar of MSY (maximizing the harvest) than lowering that goal would seem to illogical and counter-productive. Lower the goal means that the manager are shooting for a goal further down the spawner/recruit curve which by definition would produce on the average fewer fish to harvest - less than maximum harvest. Of course the other explanation is that the habitat and productive of the fish population is declining and such population parameters such as carrying capacity, MSY, etc. are naturally lower. By extension that also means that we as a society continue to be crappy caretakers of our rivers and our lip-service of habitat restoration is failing.


Of course that also means that this constant search for managing for a better escapement number, eliminating hatchery fish or just generally doing a better job of managing fisheries is not addressing what is driving our fish populations. Addressing the major factors that is driving our salmon populations downward would require all of society stepping up to the plate and making what is ultimately would financial costs in the name of the fish. Heaven forbid that debate of what to do for the fish were to shift in that direction!

Curt