IV-302 

 Anadromous Fish 



Landings of anadromous fish, particularly those of economic 

 importance such as the salmon and shad, have declined in numbers, 

 while retail markets have generally shown a steady improvement. 



The diminution of the continental salmon fishery provides a classic 

 example of the damage inflicted on fisheries by biophysical modifi- 

 cation. As dam-building, lumbering, and ot u er kinds of man's 

 activities increased, the once-abundant salmon catches declined. 

 The Atlantic Salmon has almost completely disappeared from the east 

 coast. On the west coast, reduction in the quality and quantity 

 of freshwater, sedimentation in spawning areas, pollution of the 

 transitional zones in estuaries, and heavy fishing pressure by both 

 sport and commercial fishermen have combined to reduce the once- 

 flourishing salmon industry. 



Most of the domestic catch now comes from salmon dependent on the 

 streams, rivers and estuaries of Alaska, since that State is for 

 the most part free of the physical and biological modifications made 

 by man in the other Pacific Coast States. Growth of logging, oil, 

 natural gas, and hydroelectric activities may alter this situation 

 drastically in coming decades. Even without these modifications, 

 which have little-known effects on the possible sustained yield of 

 Alaskan Salmon, this fishery faces serious economic and institutional 



