the film forum library tutorial contact

Forecasts Predict Low 2018 Salmon Returns In Washington by Emily Schwing Oregon Public Broadcasting, February 28, 2018

To some people, sea lions are smart, lovable creatures that shouldn't be harmed in any way. To others they're loud, destructive pests that need to be controlled.

Every year, wildlife officials keep track of how many salmon return to their spawning grounds. This year, they expect low returns of salmon in Washington state -- and that could change the fishing outlook.

Forecasts for four species of salmon -- chinook, coho, sockeye and chum -- are likely to limit fishing opportunities this year.

Kyle Adicks is the intergovernmental salmon manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"We have a growing population that isn't necessarily good for salmon habitat," he said. "We have a lot of people that value salmon -- like to go out and catch them like to see them spawning in our streams, like to see killer whales eating them in Puget Sound, but it's kind of a resource that has been shrinking over time."

That shrinking could be connected to declining ocean conditions, among other factors.

With the forecasted numbers in hand, fishery managers will kick off a 1 1/2-month process next week to craft the guidelines for the 2018 fishing seasons in Puget Sound, along the coastline and up and down the Columbia River.