The biological opinion (BI-OP) associated with the 2019-2028 update to the pacific salmon treaty (nmfs consultation WCR-2018-10660) identified a funding initiative to mitigate the effects of harvest…

The biological opinion (BI-OP) associated with the 2019-2028 update to the pacific salmon treaty (nmfs consultation WCR-2018-10660) identified a funding initiative to mitigate the effects of harvest and other limiting factors that contributed to the reduced status of puget sound chinook salmon. The BI-OP states: the proposed funding initiative has three elements. For puget sound chinook salmon, the initiative is targeted at the weakest populations that are considered essential for recovery and those most affected by northern fisheries. These include the nooksack, dungeness, stillaguamish, and mid-hood canal populations. The funding is designed to support continuation of conservation hatchery programs that are already in place on the nooksack, dungeness, and stillaguamish rivers and a new program for the mid-hood canal population. The projects outlined in this application implement the hatchery conservation programs in the nooksack and dungeness rivers.