WOW....that took a long time to read all the passionate exchanges on this subject. I'm especially glad to read Vedder's comments which I think are refreshingly to the point and on target. AuntyM , too, is on the same page I am on this. I do not have blind passion on this issue and have never retained a wild steelhead in my life. Not because I am holier than thou but because my steelheading has been pretty limited. I release most of the fish I catch and that numbers in the hundreds each year. I release in the water and have for a long time. I will use a net with special coating at the boat in the ocean if need be to subdue a fish for release.
I sincerely believe that alot of the passion for WSR has its roots in limiting participation in the sport. I have read enough posts about steelheading to see that when C&R goes into effect the crowds dramatically drop. Whether the passionate steelheaders admit it or not I think alot their hard work has roots in wanting to see "the good old days" again with less crowds , beer cans and garbage. Nothing wrong with that.
I think it is evident also that the commission is starting to bend so as not to look so blatantly pro-commercial. The hard work some of us do is also working. To those of us in the mix the cause and effect is obvious. To those on the outside looking at this process it might seem more ominous . I think that WDFW, NMFS, the commission, and especially the politicians are all trying to listen and respond to the new sports fishing community. I say new because we are finally starting to speak with almost one voice on issues. It is working and so now it is time to shift into high gear. C&R is the ticket to future opportunity whether we like it or not. WDFW is educating about it and fisheries are being offered that were not offere before.
To my firend Eddie I see your points and of course the 4 H's are the cornerstone of our state's Wild Salmonid Policy. No brainer there...Sure there are several culprits and harvest can be the most manageable.
I am staying focused on the commercial harvest right now because in light of the latest fiasco with WDFW and ODFW pleading for an exemption to NMFS to allow a tripling of mortality on wild fish while attempting to publicly support the current 2% limit there is a real need to expose what these folks are willing to do for commercial interests and for the tribes. For the tribes it is blackmail that keeps that going. The tribes threaten to sue and the state has to back down. They always lose and can't afford the litigation. Land owners went to court and successfully stopped the tribes from over stepping their rights under Rafeedie concernig shellfish harvest. We need to now focus both barrells on the outrage of killing the very fish we are going so far out of our way to protect in so many ways.
What sense does it make to any rational human being to spend billions of dollars and huge amounts of time to modify dams, enhance habitat, cut back on harvests and then lobby to allow a higher mortality level so more of the fish that we are going to all that trouble to save are killed? All in the name of providing a "viable" commercial fishing industry.
We are making some good progress but the knife is always ready to be plunged into our backs if we turn away too long.
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