Salmon mystery from bad to worse

I started covering the Chinook salmon decline last year after it was mentioned to me in passing.

And although I knew it was bad when biologists called the situation a "crisis," it's now risen to "disaster" level -- which appears to be much worse.

Lower numbers of these fish have not just been discovered in the Merced River, but in bodies of water in or near California, Oregon and Washington. While Coho salmon stocks off Washington and northern Oregon have been reported in better shape, they are still far below normal.

Regulators recommended that fishing along the California and Oregon coasts be suspended, and the Associated Press reported this step has jeopardized the $150 million West Coast salmon industry.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the federal agency in charge of fisheries, held a press conference today in Portland -- and declared the salmon fishing situation an economic disaster. AP reported this as first step toward providing federal disaster assistance to commercial, charter and salmon fisherman and related businesses in California, Oregon and Washington.

And no one can figure out exactly what is causing the decline.

To say this situation has taken a downward spiral would be an understatement.