Graph of the Day: Chinook Salmon Landings on the U.S. West Coast, 1950-2007
Landings refer to the amount of catch that is brought to land. Chinook salmon landings are most often reported in terms of numbers of individual fish. Numbers of fish caught are sometimes converted to estimates of weight, but this is primarily for the purpose of quantifying the economic value of the commercial catch. Salmon managers also generally provide estimates of non-landed catch mortality (when fish are caught and released due to regulatory restrictions such as size limits). Mortality may also occur when fish contact fishing gear, but are not landed, as when a fish is hooked but escapes before it is captured. Some proportion of the number of fish encountered is presumed to die as a result of these handling interactions. That proportion varies depending on gear type and location. Managers combine estimates of landed catch and non-landed catch to provide estimates of total harvest-related mortality. Note: U.S. commercial landings are presented in the graph.
