Sustainability

Salmon fishery biologists largely rely on in-season assessment of how many salmon return to fresh water to spawn. Scientists in the field use these assessments to determine escapement goals for the following year.

Biologists want enough salmon to  escape the fishery and return to fresh water to spawn and replenish the population.  So they regulate the fishery based on escapement goals to ensure harvests are sustainable. 

Biologists set harvest levels based on returns. When abundance is high and the number of fish returning is much higher than that needed to meet escapement goals, harvest levels are set higher.

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During the fishing season, biologists monitor catch and escapement, comparing current returns with those from previous years to keep an eye on abundance and actively manage the fishery.

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