I went to the market this weekend just to waste some time, while walking around I noticed how many native steelies were killed. I saw at least 4 dozen natives and all above 10lbs. The biggest fish i saw was pushing 25lbs. but with pale pink meat. It was the most discusting sight I have ever seen. The sad thing was the people who where purchasing these fish had no clue how long these fish have been on ice. The meat on these fish were completly pale pink. Theres got to be a way to get the word out to people who buy these fish to not buy them cause the fish are nates.

The problem is, is that the general public does not trult know the differance between wild and hatchery steelhead. Hell, most people do not even know what a steelhead is.

We must first educate the public to what truly makes a wild fish wild and hatchery fish, a hatchery fish. We must then make the native steelhead very charismatic as in the bald eagle, spotted owl, king salmon, the grizzly bear etc. The general public tends to only care about charismatic species but when they do care, alot of people care ALOT...enough, atleast, to help us in our battle to save the wild steelhead.

[ 04-01-2001: Message edited by: RPetzold ]

I posted these about a month ago and I'll do it again. These are the addresses of some of the people at PPM who deserve an earful over their wild steelhead sales. While we all figure out a way to fight this officially, I think we should all take a minute or two and e-mail them our concerns. It can't hurt, can it?
Daniel Lieberman, Executive Director, execdir@pikeplacemarket.org.
Media Relations
Contact Andrew Hanson-Krueger at andrew@pikeplacemarket.org.
Shopping Information & Customer Concerns
Contact Cheryll Davis at cheryll@pikeplacemarket.org
I agree with you guys. Education of the public is the most important thing to focus on. That's why media coverage is so crucial. I also agree that media coverage is a possibility. If you have noticed, several tribal-related stories have run recently in the Seattle daily papers. I recall, vaguely, some coverage of wild steelhead sales a few years back. Does anyone remember this?

Question is how are you/ we going to get the general public to view that fishing for wild steelhead is a bad thing. There wiil be people out there saying "oh please " or it is just a fish....etc
It is kind of attitude some of us here have that when PETA mentions how fish feel pain. And we should not be fishing. Or when Greenpeace pushes too hard and comes out looking like a vigilante/ or bunch of whinners. Or any group of people that promotes one agenda too hard. People on this BB knows the importance of how important it is to save wild Steelhead but how will you push that to the general public that does not care ? It is like keeping your side of the street clean. I don't think we have the right to make fun of PETA, Greenpeace or who ever just because we don't believe in their cause. Or think there agenda is stupid or unimportant. We don't wan't people to do that to what we believe. Protesting may be a way but is it ? How many of us had ignored or lauged at or disregarded other protesters on a issue we don't give a sh*it about. Some thing to think about. Tou have to do what you have to do but It is hard to have the majority always agree.

Aerofly,
I agree that people are very complacent. I am against standing around with a sign, making a fool of myself in vain. But my ambitions are loftier than that. My hope would be to earn media coverage and air our views that way. I see this as a first step toward educating the public, anything that will stick in their head and make them think twice when they see a sign advertising wild steelhead. That's one end of it. The other is applying enough pressure to make vendors think twice about selling it.
Do you have any suggestions, Aerofly? How can we make this protest more than a pointless spectacle? Anyone else have suggestions?

Flyfisher, educating the public is a very good way. The more they know the more they will understand and might wanna help. I understand the idea of having media for the protest. It is a good chance you can get a TV station to come down for the protest. The guys at the pier last summer sure did. They were able to get the attention of the media. I think the best bet is King 5 , they seem to cover more of this kinda issues. Also there are many radio station with email and call in for concerns and ideas. I have done this to several radio stations that I listin to. And I have emailed them too.
Rather then just protesting why not do the phamphalet too. Everybody can agree on what is on the phamphlet, then we can individually print it out, so no one person is stuck with all the cost and responsibility. This way we can print out what we need and then pass it out and hang them up in the area they sell wild Steelhead. This way every one on this board can contribute even if they can't make it for the protest. I think this can be more subtle and not scare off some of the "OH GOD" type of people. It gives every one a chance.
Hell, if some one has a really good idea on how they or what they want to say on the phamphalet I can even print out a 100 or so and take them to the Ms game and just have it in the car to ditribute any time any where.