Braking a Catch

Salmon fishing season canceled in California, heavily restricted elsewhere 6

Photo: Josh Larios

For the first time ever, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council has voted to cancel the salmon fishing season off the coast of California and much of Oregon due to exceedingly low populations of chinook salmon in the Sacramento River area. The restrictions apply to commercial as well as recreational fishers; only a catch of 9,000 hatchery-raised coho salmon will be allowed this season by sport fishers off central Oregon. However, since the imperiled salmon that make up the Sacramento River run rarely venture as far north as Washington, restrictions there were not as harsh. The council voted to allow a combined commercial, sport, and tribal catch of 45,000 coho salmon and 77,500 chinook salmon this year off the Washington coast. But overall, the outlook is still quite bleak. "Collectively, from Canada to Mexico, this will be the worst ever season off the West Coast," said Don McIssac of the PFMC. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency and requested federal financial assistance for the state's fishing industry.

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  1. Wolverine Posted 2:05 pm
    11 Apr 2008

    You Reap What You SowThis is the result of gross human overpopulation and overfishing, combined with dam(n)ing rivers, destroying riparian ecosystems by logging and cattle grazing, polluting water, and global warming.  I guess humans won't stop their ecocidal behavior until there's nothing left.

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  2. javaearth Posted 6:01 am
    13 Apr 2008

    This is great,.... butThis is great,.... but than does it just increase more fishing in other areas? - Will it just make more demand of Canadian fish? - And of course the seals will than pay the price when more!
    Are we changing human consumption? Or just moving round demand and supply locations?

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  3. Tasermons Partner Posted 6:45 am
    13 Apr 2008

    Farm salmon increase...This is great,.... but than does it just increase more fishing in other areas?
    For other wild salmon stocks?  Doubtful.  It may increase the demand for farmed salmon though.

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  4. caniscandida Posted 8:18 am
    13 Apr 2008

    O Canada!Good point, JavaEarth.  We seal-lovers are supposed to be boycotting all seafood with Canadian sources.
    Ironically, though, I give that protest movement no leverage whatsoever, since I almost never eat seafood, from anywhere.
    TasPar,

    my understanding is that the salmon aficionados sneer at CAFO salmon, claiming there is a world of difference between that and wild salmon.  You are probably right, though, that the demand for CAFO salmon will increase, as the supply of wild salmon disappears.

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  5. bamn Posted 9:38 pm
    14 Apr 2008

    Cheney = salmon problem?http://blog.washingtonpost.com/cheney/chapters/leaving_no ...

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  6. Wolverine Posted 12:36 pm
    15 Apr 2008

    It's All About MoneyIn many ways, humans are the dumbest animals on Earth.  In order to cater to business interests, the government is now trying to substitute a very environmentally destructive fishing industry for the salmon industry.

    http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/04/11/18492223.php

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