The disparity in smolt to adult return rate illustrated in Smalma's post above is critical in making any decisions about stocking hatchery steelhead. The next logical question is "how much are you willing to pay" for that hatchery steelhead? I haven't looked at costs/smolt in a long time, but it was around $6/pound for many hatcheries in 1992. I don't think it's a stretch to say that cost would be about $10/pound these days. At 6 smolts/pound and a smolt to adult return to the Skagit of 0.4%, it would take 240 pounds, at a cost of $2,400 to return a single adult hatchery steelhead to the Skagit. And of course, the Skagit treaty tribes would be entitled to half the harvestable number. That would increase the cost to well north of $5,000 to put one hatchery steelhead in the recreational angler's creel, since sport fishing is less than 100% efficient.

How much will you pay to catch one hatchery steelhead in Puget Sound?