Quality of Escapement

Harvest sharing and border escapement objectives are based on numbers of adult salmon.  There is no consideration of sex, size or age composition.  The average size and age of Yukon River Chinook has changed. This is probably a result of decades of size and sex selective fisheries.  Quality of escapement includes the health of the individual salmon.  Rising river temperatures may cause direct effects to fish health.  It may also increase the rate of infection and virulence of diseases and parasites.  The health of salmon that have struggled free of nets may also be effected.