There's a big problem with this story: Hillborn simply is wrong about the SRKWs' primary food source. Fraser River Chinook are their primary feed only in summer months.
mynorthwest.com/1217574/expert…
mynorthwest.com/1217574/expert…
In the non-summer months, multiple studies have demonstrated that SRKWs primarily feed on salmon along the Continental Shelf. The No. 1 source of those salmon is the Columbia. SRKWs have been recorded multiple foraging at the mouth of the Columbia in the winter.
It's astonishing that someone with Hillborn's credentials could be so wrong about scientific data. But then, recall that Hillborn is the same scientist who receives funding from the fishing industry for his frequently dubious studies.
From chief NOAA scientist Brad Hanson: "Early results indicate that the whales travel great distances, migrating south along the Pacific Coast in winter and spending substantial time feeding near the mouth of the Columbia River."
islandssounder.com/news/wildlife-…
islandssounder.com/news/wildlife-…
