Here is my reply to the paper on this article. Now maybe some of you on here can type a letter or two instead of bitching and doing SFA, do you folks get my point, if we just sit back and read this **** and do nothing we are doomed.
The Jackel
Well what can I say, I always questioned Donald Trump when he would go on and on about fake news but this article clearly shows he is on to something. First off there were not hundreds and hundreds of killer whales caught for aquariums from the SRKW population. There were only 27 SRKW'S caught for aquariums. The highest number of SRKW's since records were kept was 98. Was this an ethical thing to do, no, but at the time there was no data/info like we have today.
As for the hatchery fish, yes they are somewhat inferior to wild salmon but the science behind the hatcheries and the way that these fish are produced has come full circle. If the author would have taken the time to maybe do something that is called research he could find out accurate data and the processes involved. Maybe he could even had read up why the whales were late in returning this year but seeing as he didn't I will tell you. They were off the coast of California feeding on the record returns of chinook to these waters and you know what is more amazing these fish are primarily hatchery fish in origin.....imagine that. I guess they like to eat hatchery fish too, who would have ever thought that. Oh and another thing when they did come back to the local waters they where in great shape, no peaheads.
As for lack of chinook numbers in our local waters, again all the author had to do was get on his ebike and go down to the docks and talk to the people and ask how the runs of chinook are this year, one word, fantastic. The ocean conditions in the pacific are great, the warm blob has dissipated and the herring and salmon have benefited from this as will the killer whales.
Now as for Misty, maybe the author can get an answer from her on how much she and her organization have put into stream rehabilitation, fixing old clear cut logging slashes. I have asked numerous times and nothing, but from all the research I have done the answer appears to be zero.
Are the SRKW's endangered, yes, the reason, because of their low numbers, as stated before there have never been hundreds and hundreds of them which brings me to my next point, inbreeding and contamination. These are two things that greatly affect the population and maybe Misty can put some time and effort into this.
So please in the future try and print an article that has some merit!!