<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Letter: Hatchery strategy recovers salmon

The Columbian
Published: December 1, 2013, 4:00pm

I have lost all faith that our salmon will recover with our government-layered management dictating what has to be done. Salmon declining for decades is poor management. Was there a time we were not losing salmon? Not in my life. We are entering the worst-ever process given to salmon and they will continue to die. This state continues to stay out of touch.

Tribes did the right thing in using their treaty rights as they rejected the government dictating plans. The tribes are using hatchery supplementations, concentrated on DNA selectively, and are getting phenomenal results. Our state is wasting hatchery fish as tribes build a future by letting them naturally spawn.

Recently, the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Program on the Clearwater River counted 40,000 returning salmon. This is recovery. They started with small numbers and in not much time have this amazing result. Watch the Elwa River restoration program, as it is using the same science. The Great Lakes recovery program is also outstanding.

Basic common sense is to use selective salmon eggs for hatchery progeny and then let them spawn when they return as adults. I see no improvements until our state does this recovery also.

Larry R. Carey

Vancouver

We encourage readers to express their views about public issues. Letters to the editor are subject to editing for brevity and clarity. Limit letters to 200 words (100 words if endorsing or opposing a political candidate or ballot measure) and allow 30 days between submissions. Send Us a Letter
Loading...