This is a good introduction to the material to be found in the Harvesting the Sea Gallery. Many of the North Pacific fishing fleets are based in Puget Sound and make yearly migrations to the fishing grounds. The North Pacific is a challenging ocean environment, frequently testing the soundness of vessels and the skill of their crew. This Big Full size models of the largest King Salmon, King Crab, Halibut, and Sturgeon ever caught grace the walls of the gallery. A great photo opportunity as well as a means of gaining perspective.
Some fish grow to enormous size.
There is a large range of size between the average fish of a species and its record size. This video presentation immerses the visitor in the decision making that confronts fisheries managers. Scientific evidence and environmental concerns are balanced with economic realities to determine how much of each species of fish will be caught while preserving enough of the population to guarantee future supplies. The primary goal of fisheries management is to preserve annually harvestable, viable fish stocks, that is, sustainability. Marine fish are a public resource requiring private initiative to produce economic benefit and healthy seafood products.