Here’s a model of a successful recovery effort on the Skagit.We’ll need many more of these to be ultimately successful in the recovery, along with habit restoration and protection. For those not familiar with the tribal fishing situation, you’ll note in this article that “…the Tribal officials welcomed first-time visitors to the river’s banks to observe as several members labored during the quick and intense fishery — it opens for 26 hours twice this year, the first being 7 a.m. June 27 to 9 a.m. June 28.” There is a great deal of misinformation about tribal fisheries, and it’s good to get solid information, not rumor fed by disgruntled fishermen. The dramatic drop in salmon over the last 40 years had more to do with development and destruction of their habitat, overfishing in previous decades, issues not even known then, such as road runoff’s toxic load and the Hood Canal Floating bridge to name two, as well as a general lack of enforceable protections before the 1980s. These are being addressed in modern times, the tribes are leaders in the efforts, but we are so far behind the issues that success is not guaranteed. Let’s celebrate one good outcome.
Several small metal boats followed by drifting nets took turns late last week riding the Baker River’s flow from the Highway 20 bridge in Concrete down to its convergence with the Skagit River. As each group of two or three fishers hauled in their nets, they revealed varying numbers of shiny salmon; some just a handful, others a dozen or more. Then they waited their turn to return to the water. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound |
Sad that these sockeyes have to be transported to Baker Lake by truck, to spawn.