I strongly disagree with Bob Hooton's simple analysis of the root cause and solutions for salmon declines. Perhaps he doesn't intend for his messaging to sound as if he places the main causes of salmon decline on harvest, but that is how it comes across. I personally subscribe to the notion that ecosystems are inherently complex, and so too are the real reasons for salmon declines. The article actually touches upon it by calling it a crisis rooted in "death by a thousand cuts". IMO failing to understand that leads to misguided attacks with singular focus on one villain or another. The truth is the ecosystems supporting fish are compromised by many many small and large sources. The ecosystem can no longer support the same level of wild salmon as it once did - it's too compromised and there is no turning back the clock. Incredibly simplistic to think a "wild salmon policy" or scaling back hatcheries will lead to wild salmon recovery and abundance. That simply isn't true with the ecosystem in a compromised position it cannot support the once abundant levels of "wild only" salmon stocks.
