TRENDS IN PRODUCTIVITY OF PUGET SOUND SALMON 



11 



14 



12 



10- 



Salmon 



\' 



/ 



-/^v-y^- 



/- 



■\y 



^ Halibut 



Other bottom fish 



1950 



52 



54 



56 

 Year 



60 



FIG. 2. Washington State fish landings, catch value to fishermen 



Source: Robison, Ward, and Palmen, 1962 Fisheries Statistical Report. 



Sockeye salmon provide the greatest money returns to fishermen, 

 and in recent years the runs of sockeye have been increasing (Fig. 5). 

 Pink sahnon are second in value and first in quantity of fish landed. 

 Akhough smaller numbers of chum and silver salmon are taken 

 they are important to the commercial fishery. Chinook salmon are 

 taken incidental to the Puget Sound and Strait net commercial fishery. 

 With the exception of pink and chum salmon the runs of salmon in 

 Puget Sound have been maintained or increased in recent years. 

 Although the decline in pink and chum salmon presents an obvious 

 problem to the fishermen, the situation has been intensified by an 

 even greater drop in the average catch per boat (Fig. 6), brought 



