Mark Swenson’s letter regarding declining fish stocks (“Overfishing is the issue,” Our Readers’ Views, May 22) raises an important point. History has shown us the consequences of overharvesting natural resources (see “Collapse” by Jared Diamond). And while there are many factors that are causing the decline and possible extinction of our native Pacific salmon species, Swenson is correct that unsustainable predation by the various user groups is a major factor.
More than 20 years ago, a client of mine who operated a fleet of commercial fishing boats throughout the Pacific told me that the ocean was being fished out given the number of boats and the advanced technology being used. I have been an avid sport and commercial salmon fisherman, and so I am sympathetic to both as iconic to our region.
I think a complete moratorium as Swenson suggests would certainly help salmon recover but is extreme and politically unfeasible. However, I would support a drastic reduction in the harvesting of salmon while our government agencies figure out a comprehensive plan for a return to sustainability.
The one exemption I would grant would be to Native American tribes who have treaty rights and were able to properly manage the resource for thousands of years before European settlers arrived.
