searun
Well-Known Member
Once again, aiming at one shinny penny isn't going to address enough of the issues facing Thompson steelhead declines. Removing the commercial and FN gill net fisheries will not address issues like predation. The science is becoming increasingly clear that marine mammals are a major contributor to at sea mortalities and the coast-wide observed trend of declining size at age of Chinook. Large Chinook are the preferred prey source of orca's - whom are now thought to be responsible for the size at age declines. Despite what you read in the popular press, the coastal population of orcas in increasing rather sharply in the past decade or more.
Thompson Steelhead are also similarly large high caloric energy sources for marine mammals at the early ocean entry stage and as returning adults. Steelhead DNA is often found in the scat samples of Killer Whales for example. Start reviewing the work of Dr. Carl Walters and Ohleberger et al https://www.pnas.org/content/116/52/26682
Dr. Walters has connected a strong correlation between increasing populations of marine mammals (pinnipeds) and dramatic declines in salmon, which also correlates with declines in Thompson Steelhead. Remember, the gill net fisheries pre-dated declines in Thompson Steelhead.
Pinning the tail on the gill net donkey is aiming too low and missing perhaps the most significant crisis of our time.
Thompson Steelhead are also similarly large high caloric energy sources for marine mammals at the early ocean entry stage and as returning adults. Steelhead DNA is often found in the scat samples of Killer Whales for example. Start reviewing the work of Dr. Carl Walters and Ohleberger et al https://www.pnas.org/content/116/52/26682
Dr. Walters has connected a strong correlation between increasing populations of marine mammals (pinnipeds) and dramatic declines in salmon, which also correlates with declines in Thompson Steelhead. Remember, the gill net fisheries pre-dated declines in Thompson Steelhead.
Pinning the tail on the gill net donkey is aiming too low and missing perhaps the most significant crisis of our time.
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