Comments on: Chinook Salmon’s Last Meal? http://www.scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/ The Shortest Distance Between You and Science Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:44:42 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lynne http://www.scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-2437 Lynne Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:53:29 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/#comment-2437 Thank you for your comments - interesting points on the interpretation of the PDO and implications of hatchery fish. It is true that overfishing is likely only a small piece of the puzzle. After the discovery of gold in California in the mid 1800's, the growth of fisheries led to significant Chinook declines in the Sacramento River. Today, harvesting rates, ocean conditions, water diversions, dams, erosion, and pollution all contribute to the problem in varying degrees, depending on the location and time. Thank you for your comments – interesting points on the interpretation of the PDO and implications of hatchery fish.

It is true that overfishing is likely only a small piece of the puzzle. After the discovery of gold in California in the mid 1800’s, the growth of fisheries led to significant Chinook declines in the Sacramento River. Today, harvesting rates, ocean conditions, water diversions, dams, erosion, and pollution all contribute to the problem in varying degrees, depending on the location and time.

]]> By: Mike http://www.scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-2392 Mike Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:08:56 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/#comment-2392 We've had "adverse ocean conditions" in the past. Especially during the last El Nino. What we observed during that time was that the average size of our caught salmon went down during these years - they didn't have enough to eat to fatten up. Over the last few years though, the average size of our catch kept going UP. This is - or at least should be - directly counterindicative to blaming ocean conditions for the decline of our salmon. Somebody please tell me what all the Anchovies, Herring and Sardines ate that we found in the bellies of the salmon we caught? Maybe the Anchovies are just plain smarter than the Salmon who prey on them, and that's why they were eating while our Salmon starved to death.... Also, DFG just recently revived the netpen program. Salmon from the hatcheries are once again being trucked to acclimatization pens in the bay, circumventing the river entirely, where they stay for a few hours before being released. So, if we see increases in Sacramento Salmon populations by 2010, it is due to these netpens, not to changing ocean conditions. Coleman hatchery recently conducted studies on salmon mortality in the Sacramento River. They found out that 94% - 98% of the salmon they release at the hatchery never even make it to the ocean. If most of our salmon die in the river, it's no surprise that the returns are low.... And finally I would like to ask the author of this fine article to please let her readers know where/when/how "overfishing" has had any impact on the Sacramento Fall Run Salmon Population??? This one really boggles the little mind of a participant in one of world's best regulated fisheries. Thanks for your time We’ve had “adverse ocean conditions” in the past. Especially during the last El Nino. What we observed during that time was that the average size of our caught salmon went down during these years – they didn’t have enough to eat to fatten up. Over the last few years though, the average size of our catch kept going UP. This is – or at least should be – directly counterindicative to blaming ocean conditions for the decline of our salmon.
Somebody please tell me what all the Anchovies, Herring and Sardines ate that we found in the bellies of the salmon we caught? Maybe the Anchovies are just plain smarter than the Salmon who prey on them, and that’s why they were eating while our Salmon starved to death….
Also, DFG just recently revived the netpen program. Salmon from the hatcheries are once again being trucked to acclimatization pens in the bay, circumventing the river entirely, where they stay for a few hours before being released. So, if we see increases in Sacramento Salmon populations by 2010, it is due to these netpens, not to changing ocean conditions.
Coleman hatchery recently conducted studies on salmon mortality in the Sacramento River. They found out that 94% – 98% of the salmon they release at the hatchery never even make it to the ocean. If most of our salmon die in the river, it’s no surprise that the returns are low….
And finally I would like to ask the author of this fine article to please let her readers know where/when/how “overfishing” has had any impact on the Sacramento Fall Run Salmon Population???
This one really boggles the little mind of a participant in one of world’s best regulated fisheries.
Thanks for your time

]]> By: Gordie http://www.scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-2381 Gordie Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:50:32 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2008/11/07/environment-peeples-chinook-salmon-numbers/#comment-2381 You really need to find a better source on the Pacific Decadal Oscillation than Bill Peterson. Go to this link (http://jisao.washington.edu/pdo/) and read the PDO chart...the cold phases have obviously not shortened to 4 years in the last decade...they're swinging significantly within longer cycles like they always have. You really need to find a better source on the Pacific Decadal Oscillation than Bill Peterson. Go to this link (http://jisao.washington.edu/pdo/) and read the PDO chart…the cold phases have obviously not shortened to 4 years in the last decade…they’re swinging significantly within longer cycles like they always have.

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