we have the technology and know how , scale sampling .etc. to know from a test fishery what percentage of the run are 1,2,3 or 4 year olds.
it comes down to does WDFW want us to know if the fish stayed out in the deeper, colder ocean due to the warmer water last year. my hypothesis is, yes they did. this years run appears to be robust , healthy and of a majority of the fish being larger 3-4 year olds. from the Canadian fishery 6-18 lbs fish being caught off Vancouver island and US sports fisherman's reports from the canadian side of the straight, all reports indicate we were screwed by the numbers politics. i fished Neah bay 7/1 2015 with water temps @ 57 degrees. This year 7/1/2016
water temps were @ 47degrees to 51 degrees. 10 degrees cooler. NOAA scientists i interviewed reported a diminished "blob" of warmer ocean water off the Pacific coast, which has probably given the fish the indicator to go, run. Thankfully, mother nature is trying to "fix,help" with colder water upwelling.