In days of yore the S.E. Alaska salmon fishery was managed by native Tlingits in such a way that a sustainable fishery existed. The region had permanent fish traps located at streams the salmon returned to spawn in negating the need for motorized quests in competition-with-others at sea. Harvest in fish traps allows a careful measure of salmon taken and precludes significant catch-cheating.
The fish trap caught salmon were taken in a sustainable quantity. After being gutted on-the-spot the fish eggs and then sperm were taken and put in the creek to assure a plentiful return. Fish caught by boats never place fertilized eggs in appropriate creek locations today. Instead fish hatcheries raise hatchlings in remote locations without growing naturally in Alaska rivers. The Yukon River should have such a method to restore the fishery to health.
image credit: N.O.A.A. fishwatch
If such a program was used today the at-sea harvesting by U.S.and foreign vessels ought to be halted to let a full recover of fish populations with right-of-return exist. Today the formerly 100 pound Chinook are increasingly of girlie-man size and number, where they exist at all.
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