Over-escapment of sockeye salmon on the Kenai is something I've seen mentioned in other posts over the last couple years. I would like to learn more about it.
I hear often from people that if the commercial nets and sports anglers don't harvest enough sockeye that there will be an "over-escapement" problem. It seems that the river's sockeye did just fine for eons without our limiting the number of fish that make it to the spawning beds. Is this over-escapement idea valid?
The population of returning adult sockeye is going to fluctuate. Over time, natural fluctuations caused by things like floods or a large population of fry as a result of an exceptional spawn are not unusual. If there fewer juveniles due to flood, they eat better. If there are more due to a large spawning, some starve (survival of the fittest, which is good) and some feed the lake trout, rainbows and dollies (also good).
The river has always maintained itself, even though there were likely some incredible, unbelieveable numbers of sockeye on the spawning grounds some years. It isn't like we're supplementing mother nature by hatchery stocking additional sockeye into the river, thereby contributing to an unnaturally large return of fish or introducing weak genetics or new diseases. So why do some of us say we need to limit the number of sockeye salmon that spawn in the Kenai? I look forward to your comments.
I hear often from people that if the commercial nets and sports anglers don't harvest enough sockeye that there will be an "over-escapement" problem. It seems that the river's sockeye did just fine for eons without our limiting the number of fish that make it to the spawning beds. Is this over-escapement idea valid?
The population of returning adult sockeye is going to fluctuate. Over time, natural fluctuations caused by things like floods or a large population of fry as a result of an exceptional spawn are not unusual. If there fewer juveniles due to flood, they eat better. If there are more due to a large spawning, some starve (survival of the fittest, which is good) and some feed the lake trout, rainbows and dollies (also good).
The river has always maintained itself, even though there were likely some incredible, unbelieveable numbers of sockeye on the spawning grounds some years. It isn't like we're supplementing mother nature by hatchery stocking additional sockeye into the river, thereby contributing to an unnaturally large return of fish or introducing weak genetics or new diseases. So why do some of us say we need to limit the number of sockeye salmon that spawn in the Kenai? I look forward to your comments.
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