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SALMON RECOVERY: LEARNING FROM SUCCESSES AND MISTAKES
Citation:
Lackey, R T. SALMON RECOVERY: LEARNING FROM SUCCESSES AND MISTAKES. Presented at Annual meeting, Oregon Chapter, American Fisheries Society, Sunriver, OR, February 27-March 1, 2002.
Description:
Billions of dollars have been spent in a so-far failed attempt to reverse the long-term decline of wild Pacific salmon. Of the Earth's four regions (i.e., Asian Far East, Atlantic Europe, eastern North America, and western North America) where salmon runs occurred originally, it appears probable that western North America will emulate the other three: extirpated or much reduced runs in the southern half of the range; runs closer to historic levels in the northern half of the range (British Columbia northward). Based on my perusal of the 150 years of efforts to protect and restore salmon in western North America, several lessons emerge: (1) society's preferences -- thus salmon restoration policy goals -- are fleeting; (2) time scales of the principal players, both governmental and nongovernmental, in salmon policy deliberations rarely coincide; (3) scientists are essential, but remain appropriately, supporting players in deciding restoration policy; (4) among salmon experts, infatuation with optimization is naive; and (5) ecological reality or scientific truth is often an orphan in the adjudication of salmon policy questions.