Pacific Salmon Season in Peril

A shortage of salmon in the waters along the Pacific coast has driven regulators to consider a ban on salmon-fishing this season, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Pacific Fishery Management Council has never recommended canceling the season before, and about 1,000 commercial fishermen could see their livelihood devastated by a final decision, due in April.

The council counted only 63,900 salmon in California's Sacramento River during last fall's run—well short of the 122,000 threshold for fishing—and indicators suggest lower numbers ahead. "The Sacramento fish are our bread and butter, and there are not even any crumbs,” said one fisherman. “It means half or more of my income is not going to be there at all."