In another worrisome development for Chinook salmon, the Rogue River of southern Oregon is seeing far fewer fish than expected this year. So far, only about 1/3 of the anticipated Chinook run has put in an appearance. As with the anemic runs this year on the Columbia River, fisheries biologists don’t have a ready explanation.
Almost on cue, today’s New York Times editorial page contains a defense of the US Endangered Species Act. The editorial employs Pacific Northwest salmon as a case study of recent attempts to weaken or distort the act.
And in a similar vein, intrepid writer Seth Zuckerman has an outstanding piece on Snake River salmon migration in Tidepool (it originally appeared in Orion magazine). If you only read one more article on salmon in your life, make it this one.
7/6/05 UPDATE: Lake Washington sockeye salmon have also gone missing. According to the Seattle Times, experts think only about 1/4 of the anticipated return will make it to the Locks:
Scientists had expected about 398,000 sockeye to return from the ocean this season. But with the run nearly half over, they say they will be lucky if 100,000 fish make it back.
