Abundance Based Management

Abundance based management establishes harvest levels based on the status of the fish affected by the fishery. The purpose is to provide more protection when the status of the fish is low and the conservation need greatest, and more harvest opportunity when abundance is high. This model provides a management framework that recognizes the inherent year-to-year variability of salmon stocks. Abundance based management plans provide the basis for managing many fisheries. For example, ocean fisheries for Chinook salmon off Alaska and Canada are managed year-to-year under the Pacific Salmon Treaty using measures of the overall abundance of Chinook salmon in each fishery. Several species of salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act also are managed using various forms of abundance based management. These stocks include Oregon Coast coho, Lower Columbia River coho and tule Chinook salmon, Upper Columbia River and Snake River spring Chinook salmon, and Snake River fall Chinook salmon and steelhead.