Published in Oceanographic Magazine
While wild salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest, they have been in decline for over a century. Once thought of as a 'silver-bullet' solution to declining wild salmon populations, it is now believed that hatcheries can cause more harm than good. A local conservation organization is now drawing on the past to help create a better future for this vital species by trialling a modernized adaptation of traditional fishing gear which was previously outlawed for being too productive.
This selective fish trap, called a Pound Net, is a carbon-free, economically viable, and sustainable alternative to current fishing techniques, and a means to fix poor hatchery practices by allowing fishermen to harvest hatchery salmon while releasing wild ones unharmed. It’s still early days of the trial, but the results are showing a promising future for wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest.