Shifting Baselines Blog

I am currently an Alaska resident and have been a continuous resident for the last 21 years. I am a very avid sport fisherman. I take 1 or 2 salmon per year for my personal use and catch and release for all other species possible. The plan introduced is just another angle by the commercial fisheries bussiness and the current governor and his staff to please those who pillage our salmon runs and drive the fish to the brink of crashing. On the Kenia river for example there are numerous days where commercial fishing boats are allowed to trawl near the mouth of the river to ensure they catch their quota. This stiffles the fish entrance into the river and obviously hurts those who are sport fishing on the river. I pay attention to these and other attempts to thwart the laws of supply and demand and the back ally attempts to re-classify our wild salmon and lump all of the fish (wild and hatchery) together to allow for increased capture by commercial fishing companies. How long can this continue? Mother natures salmon runs will do just fine if men can be rational and understand that there is only so many fish to go round. Here's a thought....why not raise salmon for market strictly in hatcheries. It is possible and would provide jobs, income, spur technological development and leave the wild salmon free to re-populate the streams that have been their spawning sanctuaries for hundreds if not thousands of years. I'm not a tree hugger, just a man who sees the end of wild fisheries if we continue down this path to "re-classifiying" our wild and hatchery raised fish.