Hope For Sockeyes

Endangered fisheries

The 257 sockeye salmon that returned up the Columbia, Snake and Salmon rivers to Idaho this year more than doubled the predictions of Idaho Fish and Game Department biologists.

The endangered fish once made the 900-mile return journey from the ocean by the millions. The impacts of dams, changing ocean conditions and other factors have dramatically reduced the runs. In the 1990s, the number of sockeyes returning to Idaho had dwindled to single digits. No fish made the journey one year.

Biologists are trying to maintain the wild genetics of this unique fishery by raising the progeny of returning fish in hatcheries.

Of the 257 sockeye, 41 are at the Eagle Hatchery, 120 were released to Redfish Lake, 28 are in Pettit Lake, 52 were released to Alturas Lake, 14 were observed downstream of the Sawtooth Hatchery and two died while at the Sawtooth Hatchery.

“Sockeye returns were good enough this year to cause me to believe they have a good chance of rebounding when survival conditions improve,” said Paul Kline, manager of Idaho’s sockeye program.

However, most scientists agree the key obstacle to survival is the slackwater the young ocean-bound salmon must negotiate behind Snake River dams.