Ecological Carrying Capacity and Spawner-Recruit Models: Are They Related?

In the absence or uncertainties of Spawner-Recruit data for determining of escapement goals, ecological carrying capacity (many of them based on habitat) has been viewed as potential alternative.  However, definition and determination of ecological carrying capacity differ among studies, and little discussion have been made about its relationship with escapement goals based on spawner-recruit model.   Using a salmon life-cycle model, this study examines relationships between spawner-recruit model based escapement and habitat based ecological carrying capacity.  I demonstrate that habitat based carrying capacity can result in equally misleading setting of escapement goals.