Hatcheries were intended to replace habitat behind dams. If they close all the hatcheries, we want some dams down, too.
The crisis over the current situation is a clear indication the river is dying.
At some point (the administration) is going to have to face up to the dams. The science leads to the dams and the law leads to the dams.
A lot of people are going to lose their jobs. It will mean ocean-catch salmon will be much harder to get. And it will be much more expensive.
A capacity reduction is essential and everyone knows it, not only for protection of the resource itself but for the ability of any single captain to make a living. At present, it simply is not working.
It's a diversionary tactic. The administration has done everything it can ... to avoid dealing with the big issue in the Columbia (Basin), and that is the dams.
It's all a sign that this river is dying. We have to do something about it as soon as possible or we will have continuing disasters on the Klamath.
It's this last option -- the middle ground -- that's the real key.
The administration is not paying attention to the laws of biodiversity. It's paying far more attention to the laws of political expediency.
It's by no means certain there will be a season, and even if there is, it will be at the low end of last year's numbers.
They become a huge factor only when so few fish are left for the fishermen to catch.
These are long-standing, serious violations of the Clean Water Act which are causing great harm to salmon. Federal dam operators seem to think they are exempt from the Clean Water Act but they are not.