Just when I thought I've heard it all, cue the morons in Olympia.... Apparently, from what I've read on other posts on this BB, WDFW wants to allow an increase in the killing of native steelhead on the peninsula. Sometimes I really start to wonder what these people are thinking. I mean, will these people ever learn from their own mistakes??

I live in southwest Washington, Battle Ground to be exact. Just recently, lower Columbia (from the Wind River to the Grays River) wild winter and summer steelhead have been listed under the ESA (Endangered Species Act) as a Threatened Species. Contrary of what some fisherman might think, the WDFW feels that the lower Columbia wild steelhead population is seriously low, and the listing was deemed appropriate. I attended one of the meetings in Longview in October of 97', and thanks to an invitie by Gary Loomis, I was able to attend the meeting to express my opinions and suggestions. I agreed most of the stocks were indeed need of help. However, I (along with most) agreed that they were headed in the wrong direction in the primary reasons for decline. I could go on and on about this, but I'll be here all night typing, so I won't.

But, this is what I mean by learning from your own mistakes. I can't believe the same people who took drastic measures to get the lower Columbia native steelhead listed under the ESA as threatened, are the same people who want to INCREASE the amount of wild fish kill on the Olypmic Peninsula. Yeah, it's good that the peninsula stocks are considered healthy, and that the state feels the runs will again be in decent numbers. But why jeopordize the peninsula stocks? Why not protect them and keep the runs healthy, so they're not in the same situation as the lower Columbia is in now?

Obviously, the WDFW does't learn from their own mistakes. And unless someone gets it through thier heads that NOW is the time to take the appropriate measures, and to protect the olympic stocks when they ARE considered healthy. Instead of waiting until the numbers or so suppressed, that they too, will have to be listed under the ESA.

How do you suppose those fish survived in the past without the wdfw telling them that there was to many of them and that they should just go die off.I seem to remember seeing pictures of rivers that were full of fish didn't seem to hurt them any.Course that was before gillnetters right,heaven to betsy that the sportsman should have a chance to catch a few.I'd hate to think that some wild fish might get by to spawn and then there would be even more fish around.
The WDFW couldn't have that now could they.
Maybe mother nature knows more then they do.
Do ya think,I don't know I'm probably wrong
I'm not college edacated,I just love to fish.
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Bob Dawson


[This message has been edited by dawhunt (edited 01-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by dawhunt (edited 01-22-2000).]