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[IronNoggin]

Beginning to enumerate what many of us were and are seeing:

https://phys.org/news/2017-06-steelhead-trout-population-declines-linked.html

Sadly,
Nog

[cdjk123]

Interesting article.
I read A LOT of people complain about declining stocks (of all fish, more or less) on the internet. Many people bring up issues such as commercial fisheries, FN fisheries, DFO mismanagment, netting, etc. as the root cause. However, I rarely hear people discuss what is most likely the main issue: changing ocean conditions and global warming.

This should be the *first* issue fisherman should bring up when discussing reasons for declining numbers.

[typhoon]

Interesting article.
I read A LOT of people complain about declining stocks (of all fish, more or less) on the internet. Many people bring up issues such as commercial fisheries, FN fisheries, DFO mismanagment, netting, etc. as the root cause. However, I rarely hear people discuss what is most likely the main issue: changing ocean conditions and global warming.

This should be the *first* issue fisherman should bring up when discussing reasons for declining numbers.

Root cause isn't nearly as relevant as "what can we do about it". Good luck preventing climate change with President Orange-goo down south.
We can do something about habitat destruction/restoration, netting, etc.

[Noahs Arc]

Root cause isn't nearly as relevant as "what can we do about it". Good luck preventing climate change with President Orange-goo down south.
We can do something about habitat destruction/restoration, netting, etc.

This pretty much sums it up. We can only change things within our power. Climate change was an issue before Trump and it will continue to be an issue after Trump.

[RalphH]

Climate change will all but wipe out salmon and steelhead over much of the BC, Washington Oregon and California coasts within most of our lifetimes. There will be little or no fishing for what's left.

[cdjk123]

This pretty much sums it up. We can only change things within our power. Climate change was an issue before Trump and it will continue to be an issue after Trump.

That's the thing, it IS within our power. If people elected politicians all over the world who will do something to counter act climate change, then perhaps we could do something to counter act climate change. Democracy is effective when done wisely.

[swimmingwiththefishes]

I think the seal issue is also an integral part of ocean survival.No?

[CohoJake]

I think the seal issue is also an integral part of ocean survival.No?

That was my thought as well.  It seems there are really two main factors here - predation and food supply.  And when the baitfish supply is low, salmon suffer not only because they can't find food but because the seals turn to salmon smolts instead of baitfish.  I am hopeful this year, I had a conversation with an oceanographer recently who said the biomass in the Salish Sea is off the chart right now.  I hope it speeds the recovery of many of these fish. 

[RalphH]

Rising ocean temperatures themselves pose a risk to young fish as it raises their metabolism (means they have to eat more)  and makes them more susceptible to disease.

BTW it doesn't matter how many seals you shoot if river temperatures get too warm for fish at any life stage. There has been many blatant examples of this over the last 20 years. High temperatures, mortality and poor spawning success among sockeye is a good example. If climate change leads to streams being de-watered, even for just part of the year. productivity in those streams can be all but lost.

[cdjk123]

Rising ocean temperatures themselves pose a risk to young fish as it raises their metabolism (means they have to eat more)  and makes them more susceptible to disease.

BTW it doesn't matter how many seals you shoot if river temperatures get too warm for fish at any life stage. There has been many blatant examples of this over the last 20 years. High temperatures, mortality and poor spawning success among sockeye is a good example. If climate change leads to streams being de-watered, even for just part of the year. productivity in those streams can be all but lost.

Couldn't have said it better.

[swimmingwiththefishes]

Rising ocean temperatures themselves pose a risk to young fish as it raises their metabolism (means they have to eat more)  and makes them more susceptible to disease.

BTW it doesn't matter how many seals you shoot if river temperatures get too warm for fish at any life stage. There has been many blatant examples of this over the last 20 years. High temperatures, mortality and poor spawning success among sockeye is a good example. If climate change leads to streams being de-watered, even for just part of the year. productivity in those streams can be all but lost.

So predation not an issue?

[RalphH]

First I was just trying to clarify some of the issues, as they relate to anadromous salmonids, that have to do with climate change.

When anyone says that predation is the problem or a problem what do they mean? Can anyone show me a natural system where predation isn't a major part of that system? What's it's role in population dynamics and evolution? You can include extinction in the word evolution.

If salmon and steelhead become extinct in the PNW and mid Pacific eco-system and thousands of years of success it will because they are no longer adapted to succeed in that environment as it now exists, not because predators ate them into extinction.

[Dave]

Climate change will all but wipe out salmon and steelhead over much of the BC, Washington Oregon and California coasts within most of our lifetimes. There will be little or no fishing for what's left.

I said much the same thing a few years ago on another fishing forum, and was nearly crucified for saying so
It seems however, people are finally coming to realize that this indeed the case.  For many reasons, increased hatchery production will only exacerbate the problem and predator control is just a stop gap measure.  The only way to halt the decline is to stop the herring fisheries, increase and maintain wild salmonid habitat and, finally, to stop killing them

[RalphH]

the whole seal issue is more about who gets to kill the fish not saving the fish - much like the 1st Nations and Commercial argument - sports anglers are more deserving [sarcasm]