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Various stock enhancement techniques have been used in the salmon fishery. 



1. The level of fishing in international waters has been addressed by 



the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission but not without continuing 

 problems. The various states have regulations governing the salmon fishery 

 located within their legal boundaries. These regulations not only pertain to 

 fishing effort but also to environmental questions. Stock enhancement projects 

 are obviously involved. For example, the recent court ruling that 

 Indian tribes must be given the opportunity to catch half of the returning 

 salmon has had a distinct effect on resource management of salmon. 



2. The hatchery technology for salmon is well developed. The young can 



be reared to advanced development stages which are more resistant to environmental 

 stresses before being released. For example the egg-to-fry survival has been 

 estimated to be 80% or more in hatcheries as opposed to 20% or less in natural 

 spawning beds. This procedure greatly increases the magnitude of recruitment 

 to the natural populations. However, problems still exist as illustrated by 

 the finding that over half of the young (smolts) released from hatcheries in 

 the lower part of the Columbia River System never reach the sea. Another 

 important feature of hatchery programs is that young can be reared and introduced 

 into v?aters v/hich are free of pollution or man-made obstructions that would 

 inhibit the migration of the young to the sea. The longer the time developing 

 organisms are kept in hatcheries the greater arc the technological problems 

 and the higher the costs. Although salmon hatchery technology is relatively 

 well developed, not all of the technological problems have been solved and 

 continuing programs of research and development are needed. For example, 

 feeding of developing fish is a problem as is the spectre of disease. Since 

 the private culture of salmon is legal in some western states, the salmon 

 hatchery business could be encouraged to take over certain functions of the 

 state or federal hatcheries and permit the government agencies to be more 

 concerned with research and development. 



