Salmo -
I believe that you are putting a different management spin on this than what was being pushed for by the supports of the change to non-retention of the wild steelhead.

I understand exactly what you mean by Maximum Sutained Recreation (MSR). It is precisely that concept that appealed to me more than 40 years ago when I first became aware of the philosophy of CnR. However the arguments to lead to this change has not be based on MSR but rather ones of conservation.

As pointed out by Todd a couple hundred posts ago there were 2 reasons behind this change; 1) Rebuilding of depressed runs and 2) Conserving the remaining "healthy" stocks. He then went on to discuss genetic conservation and the other issues associated with conservation of a resource. I have seen the information in WSC's public presentations, read virtually all the written testimony supporting this change and the vast majority of the supporting arguments has come from the "black and white" world that has been expressed by Rob, Rich and others (sorry guys don't mean to offend); Rob's MSP concept if you will. Concepts like MSR were rarely mentioned and if so only as an after thought.

In the angler preference survey results that many supports of WSR like to refer to there was substantial support for WSR on stocks that had harvestable numbers in the run. With this change in management it has been decided that there are NO HARVESTABLE WILD STEELHEAD because we need to perserve the resource. The support of WSR was consdierably less when there were no harvestable fish.

Harvest impacts when managing in the conservation arena becomes one of limiting fishing impacts (landed and unlanded or in this case those that die from "bonking and CnR hooking mortality"). Since the supports of this change feel there are not harvestable fish at runs sizes of 150% or even 200% of MSY escapement levels than even WSR hooking mortality losses must be issue at those run sizes as well.

If the supporters on this issue plan on pushing for CnR opportunities (especially those targeting wild fish) at wild steelhead run sizes less below those levels then many suporters have been disingenuous in their positon and arguments. If the expectation is that this "bait and switch" from MPE to MSR is going to occur then the concerns of Bruce P and others may have merit.

This has become a run away thread. I suggest that we resrve it for the celebration and venting of this landmark decision. Salmo if there is interest in continuing this discussion or related ones in more detail I suggest that we move it (them) to another thread.

Off to work - will check in tonite.

Tight lines
S malma