73 



increase salmon production, and ensure each country receives benefits equal to 

 its own production (PSC 1988). 



Although recent increases in Washington coastal Chinook escapements might be 

 attributable to reductions in interception under the Treaty, to date the 

 treaty has not entirely satisfied the desire for increased terminal fishing 

 opportunity in Grays Harbor. Further significant changes in U.S. and Canadian 

 fishing patterns appear unlikely, but cannot be entirely ruled out. 



CMZMOOK 



MMK aa CAM 1=3 u*u 



Wfrile the overall catches of Chinook 

 and coho have declined over the past 

 20 years, catch reductions were not 

 equally shared coastwide (Figure 5). 

 Marine Chinook catch landed in 

 Washington decreased more than that 

 of Canada over the last 20 years, 

 while the southeast Alaskan catch 

 remained about the same. Washington 

 coho landings decreased more than 

 those of Oregon, while the Canadian 

 catch remained about the same. 



HABITAT HISTORY 



Fish habitat in the Basin has been 



subjected to progressive degradation 



from agriculture, pulp production, 



gravel mining, dams, urbanization, 



and dredge and fill practices. Over 



the last 50 year 6, there has been a 



movement, now accelerating, that has 



partially succeeded in slowing habitat deterioration. As the primary economic 



focus in the Basin changed through time, the habitat battleground has 



constantly shifted. 



Historically, agriculture was the first land use to conflict with natural fish 

 production. Later, the heyday of logging and pulp production resulted in gross 

 abuses to salmon habitat. As the Basin developed, gravel was mined from the 

 rivers for road building, at the expense of salmon spawning grounds. While 

 all these economic developments have ultimately had to concede a place for the 

 fish, they have given us a legacy of partially resolved technical and 

 political questions. Chapter 5 describes how each economic development has 

 impacted fishery habitat; the history of these developments is addressed here. 



Fifurt 5 . Landings from oce»n noli and rec luuoul fiihenei (PFMC 

 1992). 



Agriculture 



Agriculture exacted a price from the fishery resource beginning when the Basin 

 was first opened to cultivation. The story of agriculture and ranching is one 

 of early fish habitat damage, historically largely undocumented and 



16 



