I don't understand Jerry. How can these two proposals open the door to a statewide WSR ruling?
82. BIG RIVER WILD STEELHEAD RETENTION
PROPOSAL: Close the wild steelhead retention fishery and change to catch and release
and selective gear rules for all game fish. (Retain the June 1 – Feb 28 season).
EXPLANATION: Big River is a small, non-monitored tributary to Lake Ozette and is
vulnerable to over harvest. There is no information to determine the status of the wild
steelhead run. It has been open for wild steelhead harvest for many years and only 3
have been reported caught since 1994/95. An average of 4 marked (hatchery) winter
steelhead were harvested annually from 1994/95-99/00 (WDFW Catch Record Cards).
No steelhead were reported harvested in 2000/01-01/02. Marked summer steelhead
were reported caught in 1999/00 (6), 1996/97 (8) and 1994/95 (3). All hatchery fish
caught are strays because there are no hatchery releases into Big River. This
regulation is consistent with the Olympic National Park regulation in the Ozette River.
87. KALALOCH, CEDAR AND MOSQUITO CREEKS WILD STEELHEAD
RETENTION
PROPOSAL: Close the wild steelhead retention fishery in these three creeks, and require
selective gear rules.
EXPLANATION: The wild steelhead populations in these streams are small and vulnerable
to over-harvest. Kalaloch and Cedar Creeks are not monitored for escapement.
Mosquito Creek was monitored in 2000, 2001 and 2003 (only 2 surveys per season).
Approx. 6.1 miles and 5.3 miles were surveyed in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
Spawning escapement estimates were 112 (18.4/mile) in 2000 and dropped to 52
(9.8/mile) in 2001. No surveys were conducted in 2002 due to lack of available staff.
Only one survey in the 5.3 mile index area was completed on 4/16/03 and one
additional in the lower 2.5 miles of the index area on 4/29/03. A total of only 27 redds
were counted which is equal to about 50 steelhead (~9/mile).