National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrat

West Coast Recreational Fisheries for Salmon (Fish Stories) National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrat

Recreational or sport Fisheries for Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) are conducted along the west coast of North America from central California north t o Alaska's Arctic region. Salmon angling along the West Coast has increased in magnitude and stature since the early 1880's. The sport has grown from a few trollers off Monterey, California, to over 4 million angler days of effort annually in Washington-Oregon alone. Native Americans (Indians) were the first to capture Pacific salmon. Frank Haw and Ray Buckley (1972) theorize that there had t o be some pleasure derived from the struggle. However, from what is known of the importance of the salmon to the pre-European Indian economy and the attendant ceremony, one could equally surmise that the harvest of salmon was strictly business.