| What is the last news for salmon fishing? Is it a | | | | creating a strong returning resource. In my |
| dying industry or is it just limping along? It | | | | opinion, private hatcheries, especially in Canada, do |
| depends on what stories you read and who you | | | | much better job at creating a strong stock than |
| talk to. Following the recent salmon closures along | | | | government run hatcheries. |
| the coast from Washington to California during | | | | Once a salmon gets to the ocean at about 2-3 |
| 2008, many tackle shops were forced to close. | | | | inches long, it must face all sorts of predators. |
| With salmon fishing opening again for part of the | | | | Ocean temperatures bring variable amounts of |
| season last year and this year, anglers were | | | | food and predators, so some years the survival |
| happy to hear salmon numbers were coming back | | | | rate is greater or lesser depending on the year. |
| up a bit along that part of the coast. For June of | | | | With so many factors contributing to salmon |
| 2010 the Kenai river in Alaska closed for the due | | | | numbers you can't ever say that salmon fishing is |
| to poor return numbers. Chinook (King) Salmon | | | | dying. Sometimes you will have a few slow years, |
| fishing off Vancouver Island however, continues | | | | but salmon can adapt and with the help of local |
| to be the best locals have seen in 20 years. Why | | | | hatcheries and fisheries conservation, return to |
| the fluctuation in salmon numbers? | | | | good numbers. If you live near a private hatchery, |
| There are so many factors that contribute to the | | | | stop by and learn what they are doing differently |
| success of salmon numbers in the ocean. Salmon | | | | to produce strong salmon stocks. A hatchery |
| start their life cycle trying to survive in small | | | | salmon will have a weaker strain of DNA, but |
| streams and rivers. Chemicals released from | | | | there are ways that a hatchery can mimic what |
| nearby city water runoff drains affect survival. | | | | is happening in the wild to create a healthy |
| Food sources for the smolts in the first year of | | | | environment for rearing salmon. I would |
| the river is key for the young salmon to even | | | | encourage you to support any good private or |
| make it to the ocean. Natural cover such as trees | | | | public healthy hatchery programs. |
| close to the rivers, fallen logs, and over-leaning | | | | So what should you do for great salmon fishing in |
| trees make good cover and protection for small | | | | 2010 or 2011? Well that depends on how much |
| fry from birds. Logging close to rivers takes | | | | you like staying on top of the latest news. I |
| away this cover and also creates more extreme | | | | personally guide out of the one of the top places |
| water flows for small fish trying to survive. On | | | | to fish salmon in the world over the last 20 years |
| the other hand hatchery programs can help with | | | | on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Many |
| overall salmon survival numbers by having | | | | people like trying new areas however, so I would |
| programs to feed and release salmon into the | | | | suggest doing your research on current fishing |
| wild. Some hatcheries are better than others at | | | | reports. |