The failure to address or even admit to the simple fact that modern human conduct in just living is incompatible with salmonids is the problem. Period, no debate it is a fact. What is required to protect fish is then reduce harvest, stop further habitat destruction by preserving the best natural watersheds free of our influence, determine those that really pretty much done under and utilize them for hatchery production. Then the final shoe which is intercept fisheries which must be restrained for any hope to get salmon runs stabilized.

Strange as it sounds it will take all those actions to stabilize salmon in WA St. Years ago a friend who worked for the agency had the time to pour through historical data and came to the conclusion that the average Coho run in the Chehalis was about 180k with the upper Chehalis being described as a Coho producing SOB. Habitat has been degraded to be sure but for the coast of WA our problem is not habitat ( it is a huge thing but has stabilized in the last 20 years ) but harvest. In fact PS misery is being driven by harvest depending which fish and stock as to degree.