A better salmon season is anticipated for parts of the West Coast. Fishermen in Oregon and Washington are getting ready for improved salmon fishing. Some restrictions on salmon fishing are being loosened before the start of the season. More fishermen, whose livelihood depends on this industry are eager to get out on the water.

Salmon fishing had been closed to fishermen off the California coast for the past two years. This has been detrimental to their ability to make a living. Biologists had predicted more Chinook Salmon this year and have opened more of the West Coast to fishing.

However, there are those in the California Department of Fish and Game who dispute the predicted large increase in salmon. There are some who believe the increase in numbers of the salmon in the Sacramento River and its tributaries to be too high an estimate.

Consumers would welcome an increase of high quality salmon on their menus and commercial fishermen could be working again, if the projections of increased salmon is accurate. The estimate of last year for increased salmon was too optimistic. Many believe this year’s predictions are also too optimistic on the number of salmon, leading many to believe, the pressure from commercial fishermen to get back to work is having an effect on the numbers.