Ever since the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission imposed a statewide ban on recreational fishing for the species, a certain portion of the state’s angling community has occupied itself with renewed conservation efforts and dreams for the future.

Some day, those veteran anglers say. Some day we’ll have another opening day … and fishermen will be able to actually toss a salmon fly, rather than reminisce about doing so.

Some day we’ll be able to return to catch-and-release fishing.

Some day, the Penobscot River will be reopened to recreational fishing.

For nearly five years – ever since the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission made its decision – the state’s rivers have been closed. In some, Atlantic salmon have been deemed “endangered,” and are protected under federal law.

In others – like the Penobscot – the recreational fishery was shut down in the interest of further restoring the fishery … and, some say, in the hopes of avoiding a future “endangered” listing by the feds.

For nearly five years, Maine’s Atlantic salmon anglers in search of the king of gamefish have headed north to Canada to pursue their passion.

The state’s salmon clubs still meet regularly. Club members still tie flies and buy rods and reels and talk about their past adventures.

And each year, those members pay close attention to a number that means little to many other Mainers.

Slowly, surely, that number – the number of fish returning to the trap on the Veazie Dam – has increased.

In 2000, only 535 returning fish were trapped. In 2001, 786 came back. A year later, 779. But a year ago, 1,114 were trapped … progress was being made.

And earlier this week, officials announced that 1,323 fish had returned to the Penobscot this year. That’s the most since 1997, when 1,355 were trapped.

And with that success, I figure, comes a question … or three.

What does it mean? How enthusiastic should we be? And has there been enough progress to reopen the Penobscot for catch-and-release fishing?

Those were the basic questions I posed to a number of interested folks this week, as I attempted to gain a firmer understanding of the issues involved, and to sample the public sentiment surrounding those issues.

The factors that have led to the decline of Maine’s Atlantic salmon fishery are varied, as were the responses to the questions.

Here are a few of those responses, edited for space considerations in some cases. If you’d like to sound off on the issue for a possible follow-up column, feel free to contact us at the e-mail address below:

. From Fred Kircheis, the former director of the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission: “Yes, the numbers are encouraging. As long as the number of returns keeps going up, folks are going to feel less unsure of the future of salmon in the Penobscot. However, please keep in mind that the vast majority of fish returning are the result of hatchery-stocked fish and the number of ‘wild’ fish is still far below target levels. There are still large unanswered questions regarding at-sea survival and these numbers could easily dive next year, or the year after. We have seen this in the past.”

Kircheis said that a key component in any restoration effort would be the removal of dams as part of the Penobscot River Restoration Project. Until those dams are removed, he said, the river won’t be accessible for natural migration, and there isn’t much hope that “wild fish” numbers will increase.

As to fishing the Penobscot, Kircheis had this to say:

“Because the number of hatchery-origin salmon returning to the Penobscot has increased in each of the past few years, I would think that a limited, catch-and-release fishery might be considered,” wrote Kircheis, who pointed out that he was instrumental in the closing of Maine’s rivers while with the Atlantic Salmon Commission.

“I felt then that there was no alternative to that decision, and I still feel it was the right thing to do. I would hope that any reinstituted season would be permitted only with the caveat that it could be curtailed if biological or environmental circumstances dictate,” he wrote.

“I would also expect that there would be stringent limits on time of year, water temperature, etc., so that the supply and health of brood stock is not jeopardized. It is important to keep the hatchery program going, and hopefully, increasing until such time that natural spawning can supply more of the returns.”

And finally, Kircheis offered a caution: Penobscot River salmon could still be added to the Endangered Species list. “This issue is outstanding and remains to be resolved,” he wrote.

. From veteran angler and fly-tier Ron McKusick, owner of Featherside Flies:

“No, I don’t believe there [are] enough salmon to reopen the river to fishing, though I’d love to see that happen,” he wrote. “I used to tie thousands of salmon flies for Maine.

“My question is: How many dollars are spent for such a small return on our investment?”

. From Ed Bruno, veteran angler:

“When we look skyward and see an eagle, osprey or wild turkey, we marvel at their beauty, and don’t think of them as non-native Maine birds (stocked from Ohio and other states) to replace birds lost due to DDT and other environmental factors,” he wrote.

“Catching a “pure, native” Atlantic salmon or one placed in the rivers by aquaculture for catch-and-release or harvest is fine with me. I prefer catch-and-release for landlocked salmon and trout anyhow. They’re too valuable to harvest once.

“As with the bear referendum question or the management of fish and mammals here in Maine, we’re fortunate to have very well-educated, hardworking and non-biased wildlife biologists. I defer to their expertise in regards to catch-and-release fishing for Atlantic salmon. I think most salmon fishers would agree with this philosophy.

“We’d love to fish for them again, here in Maine, but the decision should be from the biologist experts.”

. From Jeff Reardon, New England Conservation Director, Trout Unlimited:

“I’m not sure what the increased numbers mean, except that it’s better news than another year of decline,” Reardon wrote. “And the numbers have been up now for two years in a row, another positive sign. Also, and this is really important, the numbers seem to be up in some of the other rivers as well. There are over 50 salmon redds in the Machias [River], 21 in the Narraguagus, 13 in the tiny little Ducktrap, 10 in the East Machias.

“I suspect that water and temperature conditions played some role,” Reardon continued. “We couldn’t have asked for a better combination of cool water temps and pretty constant flows all summer. I think there are a lot of years the Penobscot warms up before salmon have a chance to get past the gauntlet of dams below Howland …”

As for reopening the fishery, Reardon would rather err on the side of caution.

“Whether we have 700 salmon in the river or 1,300, we are a long way from having a stable and self-maintaining run,” he wrote. “I think we anglers need to be patient and fish for trout and stripers until the runs are better. This might be a good time to have some discussion between the Salmon Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and angling and conservation interests to set some targets for conditions under which the fishery would reopen.

“I hope it’s soon,” he concluded. “But I don’t think we are there yet.”

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.