Idaho sockeye salmon success could be blueprint

BOISE, Idaho — Strategies used to bring back from the brink of extinction a population of central Idaho sockeye salmon have been so successful they could be used as a blueprint to prevent other extinctions, fisheries biologists say.

Thomas Flagg of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Paul Kline of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game published their findings earlier this month in the journal Fisheries.

Scientists said a key strategy has been maintaining genetic diversity that has resulted in a greater number of sockeye with better survival skills, resulting in more fish returning to Redfish Lake.

"The survival advantages and apparent rapid increased fitness demonstrated by Sockeye Salmon hatched in Redfish Lake have allowed the development of realistic population triggers for the program's expansion effort," the report said. "This type of natural rebuilding scenario is the hoped for result when conservationists intervene to rescue depleted populations."

Depleted in this case has a very precise number — 16. .... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765663530/Idaho-sockeye-salmon-success-could-be-blueprint.html

Where was the WFC on this one? No lawsuit?

These programs had permits from NOAA fisheries unlike WDFW's programs. Not to mention the fact that the state of Idaho would be more than willing to take them on in court, again unlike WDFW.

And it was a rescue program that was used to save a run of sockeye that was once down to ONE SINGLE FISH.

Kinda hard to compare this program to any other...but it sure did save Redfish Lake Sockeye!

Fish on...

Todd

So hatcheries are OK when a stock is at extinction?

THE WHOLE PUGET SOUND should be considered for a "rescue program"

Where will the next Redfish lake be? Bear Creek? Issaquah Creek? Tolt River? Cedar River?

Lake cushman..

hatcheries were used to restore Hood Canal and Straits summer chum, too. Also were used on White River springs.

They can be useful when well thought out, planned, and funded. They are also, by the very nature of what is being done, small.

I am pretty sure that there have been similar success with trout and hatcheries for recovery. I doubt many here would support the small size of program and intensive harvest restrictions necessary to ensure such a program would work.