Originally Posted By: BroodBuster
Until we manage pacific salmon the same way we do waterfowl they will continue their free fall. What saved waterfowl?

1. End of all market hunting
2. Manage for sport thru their life cycle, ie Alaska gets a quota so they don't shoot all of Louisiana's birds.

Just like we forecast duck/geese populations by surveying their breeding grounds we can do the same for salmon.

Of course this means the feds need to take over all management which totally makes sense since salmon, you know, swim across state and national borders.

And this wouldn't need to effect the native fisheries just as long as we left a few to swim back to their rivers. In fact that is actually a pretty good way to do accurate surveys.

It's one reason why you don't see me getting too deep into the WDFW fiasco. Anything they do right, even if by mistake, will just be undone by Ca and Ak.

A lot could be gained by looking at how hunting is managed.
Tags for example. Imagine Puget Sound crab and Shrimp tags. Buy your shrimp tag and go fish any day of the week you want and weather you want. You register online before you go out.
Currently, a non resident can buy unlimited crab, Salmon, Steelhead tags for $12 each card.