Let’s Fight For Salmon, Not Over Them
The reality is that salmon-dependent fishing families are the ultimate victims of widespread salmon declines, not their cause.
At the time of this writing in late January, prospects for 2023’s California, Oregon and Washington ocean commercial, recreational and Tribal salmon seasons are bleak.
Ocean salmon abundance projections are so low that broad closures may be a “weak stock management” necessity, simply to keep already severely diminished Coho and Chinook stocks from extinction.
The West Coast fishing industry is actually at the tail end of decades of salmon abundance declines. The onrushing threats of climate change bringing more droughts will only exacerbate these problems.
The two questions salmon-dependent communities need to ask now are “Why is this happening?” and also “What...