Those who followed the new GHMP may find this interesting. It is a simple paper addressing issues both Rec and Commercial in setting the Grays harbor 2014 salmon seasons that was utilized by Region 6 staff.


Grays Harbor Fisheries Issues

Commission Intent:
• Did the Commission intend to allow a 5% impact if a stock was not meeting its escapement goal.
o If yes, we are meeting that intent for all natural-origin stocks.
o If the intent is that there are no allowable impacts, we are not meeting that intent for Humptulips natural-origin coho.
The recreational sector has the vast majority of the impacts on Humptulips NOR coho.
Impacts occur in both the marine area and the river.
All fisheries in the marine area, including recreational and commercial fisheries in 2 A-D, have Humptulips NOR impacts.
Recreational impacts in the river occur until late January and possibly even into February. Therefore steelhead fisheries also impact Humptulips NOR coho.
It would be arbitrary to close commercial fisheries while leaving recreational fisheries open.
• Hatchery escapement is not predicted to be met for Chehalis River hatchery Chinook.
o Commission policy says we will meet escapement for hatchery fish.
o The Chehalis hatchery stock is integrated and we could collect additional wild broodstock. We have enough over the escapement goal available, but it cuts our margin down to 63 fish over goal.
o We are within our harvestable share for this specific group (Chehalis hatchery)?
o Would Quinault reduce fisheries to meet hatchery escapement?
o Would we close fisheries to meet hatchery escapement?
o The recreational sector has the majority of the impacts on Chehalis hatchery Chinook.

Proposed alternate commercial schedule.
Commercial sector has provided an alternative schedule.
The alternate schedule meets the policy criteria for natural-origin stocks and is quite similar to the schedule we proposed.
We were more conservative in the modeling of the alternative schedule because they proposed some 8-hour day fisheries and we don’t have experience with them. We modeled them as 12-hour.
The alternative schedule would not start until October 22, whereas our proposed schedule starts on October 1.

In-Season Management
Policy says we will do in-season management.
Advocacy indicates we need to provide details of our in-season management protocol in the CES (will ask Grossman).
At least 3 possible options:
o Take action (closure?) if they exceed modeled impacts by a set level, e.g. 0%, 10%, 25%, etc.
o Take action if they hit the modeled amount plus any unallocated impacts (e.g. 184 harvestable Chehalis NOR Chinook were not allocated to fisheries).
o Utilize in-season update to determine a minimum expected escapement and hold them to that level.
Hasn’t been done before.
Would we go the other way if ISU shows a low run?

Gill Net Release Mortality
Advocacy continues to challenge the 90% compliance.
Is a compliance incentive day warranted, as we did on Willapa Bay?

The post below are minutes of a meeting between the QIN & R-6. Not a huge amount of meat on the bone but it does allow one to get a glimpse of how the QIN view things.

4-1-2014

QIN – Ed, Junior, Tyler, Jim
Quinault– all the –ations, upper Quinault, sockeye. impacts from logging and farming.
Queets – un-employment.
Climate and changing climate issues concern us; building capacity to better.
Need to ensure that the fish prosper to ensure that our communities prosper.
Forecast wild chinook 3,575 878 indicators
Coho 1408 – 8,465W 10,338H
Wk 36-40 5d/wk, 41-2, 42-1, 43-2 (large mesh wk 42-43) 47 – 2, 2, 50-5d/week
Sport 6% chinook, 5% on coho
Esc. 2,169 W Chin 593 ind. (2,762T); coho 5,846W; 5,247H
Meet escapement goals for Chinook and coho
GH
Cheh
39, 2, 3, 4, 4, 2, 2, 1, 2, 5, 5
Hump
39, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 1, 2, 3, 5, 5
Week Chehalis Humptulips
QIN WDFW QIN WDFW
39 2 0 4
40 3 0 3
41 4 0 3
42 4 0 3
43 2 2 3
44 2 3 1
45 1 3 2
46 2 2 3 2
47 5 0 5 3
48 5 0 5 2

4-5-2104 - Ed, Reggie, Junior, Tyler, Jim – Steve, Kirt, Chad

EJ - Uncomfortable about modeling these fisheries – general concern about escapement; we are well aware. Without Hoh v Baldrige. QTA had all pursued that. Backbone of river by river, run by run. Implemented by PFMC and PST.
Dealt with habitat, sometimes you don’t get to fish, we have experienced that. Three stock that have aligned and we brought our request of how to is it. Looks like, with what we have laid on the table that we are in good shape – always aware of escapement and on the mark.
ST – yesterday with our constituents – concern for escapement; conservative and error on the sides of the fish. Low chinook escapements, low numbers of wild coho.
EJ – don’t see the concern in the ocean. The state has yet to move off of your high number. Good shape compared to elsewhere. Cannot help that you’re being lead down this pristine path about conservation. What other tools are being offered to use?
ST – taking significant action to meet the needs of the fish. Marching orders.
EJ – Marching orders are not correct – sector allocation, has nothing to do with us. Conservation concern is unwarranted. Been in the game a long time, you have managed that system for hatchery production. MSF comes along and now there is a concern. Habitat loss, mitigated with hatchery fish. Given history and looks to me like now we are meeting the criteria. Precision, reason and benefit of HR management. We are a lot better at it today than years ago. Crazies finding Grays Harbor, dam in the upper Chehalis, fecal coliform, etc., Public Policy is mis-guided.
[Quinault Beach Resort?]
Reggie – Ocean, monitoring, in-season…
EJ – caucus
Modeling – ocean option (1408) wondering where we are going. Comfort at low TD and fishing below the goal. We are proposing fisheries that keep is above the goal.
We desire having an agreement.
GH POLICY discussion – Phil, Ron, Steve, Chadwick, Kirt – Ed, Reggie, Junior, Tyler, Jim
EJ – Comfort level of escapement, conservation creeps in to the conversation. FWC policy, staff has read, interoperating the inputs of our staff – we make objectives. We are in good shape. Our outcomes do not raise issues, to us it is a perpetuation of life styles, and for many these fisheries are their living; what even they got to do to survive. We are all about better data, more data, more precise. Steve has done a good job of representing what he has been instructed to do. Where are we at?

On a fishing note we have rain coming so I think one might want to take a look at the 10 day forecast. http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/weather/10_day.cgi

And the projected flows. http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/rfc/ Now for the Chehalis it is Porter you want to watch as the upper tribs are all in by the time the river hits the Porter gauge and it is about 2 days for the Porter crest to make Aberdeen. It only takes about I day for the Satsop and Wynoochee to make tide water but they clear much faster so the guessing game of where, when and how to fish is about to begin.

let it rain!!!!!!!!!!

NOAA is moving the rain coming in to later in the week so some might want to track it. Below is more information regarding the lowering of the GH Chinook escapement goal.


TO: Susan Farlinger Robert Turner
Chair Commissioner Vice-Chair Commissioner
Fisheries and Oceans Canada United States Section

CC: Pete McHugh, Kris Ryding, Kirt Hughes, Mike Scharpf, and Curt Holt,
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Gary Morishima, Larry Gilbertson, Rick Coshow, Jim Jorgersen, and Tyler Jurasin,
Quinault Dept. of Natural Resources

FROM: Chinook Technical Committee, Pacific Salmon Commission

DATE: February 14, 2014

SUBJECT: Biologically Based Escapement Goal for Grays Harbor fall Chinook, Washington

At its bilateral meeting February 11th, the Chinook Technical Committee (CTC) was presented a new maximum sustained yield escapement goal for naturally spawning adults for Grays Harbor fall Chinook, and reviewed nearly final documentation of it supplied by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN). The CTC accepted escapement goal of 13,500 adults will be used to evaluate management actions for consistency with the Pacific Salmon Treaty objectives of rebuilding and sustaining healthy Chinook salmon stocks.

The escapement goal is based on spawner-recruit relationships using estimates of production resulting from naturally spawning fish in the Chehalis and Humptulips river basins from brood years 1986 through 2005. The CTC considers the data and methods documenting the escapement goal of 13,500 to be sound and biologically-based. Further details will be summarized in TCCHINOOK (14)-02, Appendix D.

The CTC recommends some minor modifications to the final report, but does not expect these to affect the escapement goal more than 5% and does not anticipate that further review by the CTC is required as a result of incorporating the following suggestions:

1. Tabulate adult spawners and recruits (excluding jacks) by brood year for each river basin (Chehalis and Humptulips) and for the total Grays Harbor production, to facilitate independent analyses and reproducibility.

2. Further clarify the rationale for using the Queets exploitation rate indicator stock.

3. Cite the Little Hoquiam River mark-recapture study supporting the use of 2.5 fish/redd.

4. Explain the analyses exploring marine survival indices or other environmental covariates and why none were used, i.e., that there was no correlation with residuals.

5. Include, where available, estimates of stray rates and percentage hatchery origin by basin, and associated coefficients of variation.

6. Document the proportion of reaches not surveyed.

The CTC appreciates the work done to provide this improved metric and the effort to address 1) the list of desired elements for documentation, as listed in TCCHINOOK (99)-3, and 2) whether the analysis met the recommended data standards for biologically-based escapement goals, as listed in CTC Technical Note 1301 in TCCHINOOK(13)-1.

Coffee Talk a morning local talk radio program on KBKW a Aberdeen Radio station recently had Rep Blake on its morning show. The subject of the Willapa Fisheries was brought forth by a caller at 9:30 in Part two and it is interesting not so much for what is said but rather how the facts were put forth OR NOT, depending on your view. Coffee Talk I have known Brian for many years and have respect for many of his efforts especially early in his career taking on DNR and that crowd of elitist but in Willapa not so much. Frankly his unending support for a harvest scenario based upon maximizing commercial harvest over citizens who foot the bill is rather ridiculous to say the least.

What we have here ( courtesy Steve Thiesfeld & Mike Scharpf ) are the QIN catch as of last week. Forgive the formatting loss but I have given up on getting 10 different ways of things to agree with PP. Mike is trying to get the info up on the WDFW website so a sneak preview. It looks like the runs as modeled are holding up but the QIN actual catch would have been greater without the early rain. One thing more. The QIN fishers were limited to max 6 1/2 in. mesh and most are using 5 1/2 in. which is a tangle net for Chinook reducing the number of Chinook harvested.

From Steve & Mike:

Just a quick update on the Grays Harbor QIN fishery. As of 10/9 coho catch is 30% above predicted catch is 2A/D and 10% above in 2C. Chinook catch in all areas is about 15% below predictions (so very close to predictions), and chum is too early for any evaluation. I’ve requested mark sampling data, but that hasn’t been provided yet.
Catch to date (through wk 41):
2A/D 2C
Predicted Actual Predicted Actual
Coho 21,843 28,569 3,320 3,667
Chinook 4,122 3,525 963 786
Chum 838 486 106 83

Here are the Willapa Plan redo meetings.

October 15, 2014
Contact: Steve Thiesfeld, (360) 249-1201
Public meetings scheduled to discuss
Willapa Bay salmon management
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has scheduled seven public meetings this fall and winter to discuss and develop a new draft policy for managing salmon fisheries in Willapa Bay.
The policy, along with the previously adopted Columbia River and Grays Harbor policies, will provide regional guidance on hatchery and harvest reform and will align fishery management with conservation and economic objectives. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for WDFW, is scheduled to consider adopting the draft policy in February.
The Willapa Bay salmon fisheries are extremely valuable and popular, said Steve Thiesfeld, regional fish program manager for WDFW.
“We need the public’s help to identify fishery objectives and develop a policy that will ensure sustainable fisheries," he said.
The public meetings include an open house, three public workshops and three Willapa Bay salmon management advisory group meetings. The advisory committee discussions are open to the public, and those in attendance will have an opportunity to comment at the end of each meeting.
The public meetings are scheduled for:
• Oct. 25 – WDFW fishery managers will host an open house from 2-5 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Oct. 27 – Willapa Bay Advisory Committee, from 6-8 p.m.; public input from 8-9 p.m.; Raymond High School Library, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Nov. 1 – WDFW fishery managers will host a public workshop from 4-7 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Nov. 13 – Willapa Bay Advisory Committee, from 6-8 p.m.; public input from 8-9 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Nov. 20 – Willapa Bay Advisory Committee, from 6-8 p.m.; public input from 8-9 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Dec. 6 – WDFW fishery managers will host a public workshop from 2-5 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Jan. 17 – WDFW fishery managers will host a public workshop from 2-5 p.m.; Raymond Elks Lodge, 326 Third St., Raymond
At the Oct. 25 open house, the public will have the opportunity to learn about commission policies and Willapa Bay salmon management activities, including hatchery production, stock status and harvest.
“We’ll focus our initial conversations with the public on conservation and fishery objectives, including economic and season goals for commercial and recreational fishing for Willapa Bay salmon,” Thiesfeld said.
WDFW fishery managers are scheduled to brief the Fish and Wildlife Commission on the development of the draft policy during the commission's November meeting in Olympia.
Thiesfeld said WDFW will develop a range of policy options that will be discussed during the December commission meeting in Olympia. The commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the draft policy options during its January meeting.
The commission is scheduled to make a final decision at its February meeting. For more information on meeting times and places, visit the commission’s webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html .
Throughout the process, WDFW will periodically update its website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/willapa_bay_salmon/ with more information on the development of the draft policy.
________________________________________
This message has been sent to the WDFW News Releases & Weekender mailing list.
Visit the WDFW News Release Archive at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/
To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mailing list: http://wdfw.wa.gov/lists/unsubscribe.html

Anyone know how many of Blake's relatives gillnet the Willapa?

fp

quote=Rivrguy]Coffee Talk a morning local talk radio program on KBKW a Aberdeen Radio station recently had Rep Blake on its morning show. The subject of the Willapa Fisheries was brought forth by a caller at 9:30 in Part two and it is interesting not so much for what is said but rather how the facts were put forth OR NOT, depending on your view. Coffee Talk I have known Brian for many years and have respect for many of his efforts especially early in his career taking on DNR and that crowd of elitist but in Willapa not so much. Frankly his unending support for a harvest scenario based upon maximizing commercial harvest over citizens who foot the bill is rather ridiculous to say the least.



[/quote]

This is a e mail sent out to the many folks tracking the Willapa plan redo by Steve Thiesfeld R6 Fish Program Manager. More to follow I am sure.


Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to forward this news release to you reminding folks that the we are beginning the process of a Fish and Wildlife Commission policy for Willapa Bay salmon.

I’ve heard that some folks are concerned that this news release doesn’t mention the ad-hoc committee and we had a previous news release soliciting additional folks for an ad-hoc committee as we move forward in this process. The “Advisory Committee” meetings mentioned in the news release are indeed for the Ad-Hoc Committee. I apologize for that oversight in the wording. If you are an existing member of the Advisory Committee, you are already on the Ad-Hoc Committee. Four to five additional people will be added to create the Ad-Hoc Committee to attend the meetings identified below.

By now, you are probably asking, “what happened to the folks that applied to the Ad-Hoc Committee”? I have been running behind on many of my duties and haven’t been able to get final confirmation of the additional members. I am hopeful that we will have signed letters of appointment to the selected folks by the end of the day tomorrow via email. So if you applied, please be patient a little bit longer.

Finally, I want to let folks know about the Open House. We are trying to prepare information for the open house and are anticipating a very different arrangement than our normal public meetings. Our intent is to have numerous stations available for folks to visit and gather information on salmon and fisheries in Willapa Bay. My preliminary list of stations would be along the lines of:

1. RCWs and Commission Policy that guide salmon management.
2. Stock status of salmon in Willapa Bay (abundance and management objectives).
3. Hatchery production in Willapa Bay and Hatchery Reform principles.
4. Historical and current fisheries in Willapa Bay.

We have had some internal discussion about the best way to move forward through this process. We are very concerned that folks are going to move directly to the issue of allocation. To try and head that off, we asking folks to come to the Open House prepared to talk about conservation and fishery objectives. What do you want to see for the bay? Perhaps you feel that we need to accelerate achieving the spawning goal for natural-origin Chinook. Perhaps you want to see a particular catch per angler trip in the recreational fishery. Perhaps you want to see a predictable commercial fishery schedule. Perhaps a particular economic value of the recreational and/or commercial fishery. At each station, you will have an opportunity to provide input, hopefully in the form of objectives, for WDFW to consider as we move through this process. We will record everyone’s input on flip charts for all to see.

I hope this clears up any confusion about the Ad-Hoc Committee and the process of developing a Commission policy for Willapa Bay salmon. Again, my apologies for the oversight in the news release and delay in the appointments. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email me.

Cheers

Well here you go folks the additional 4 WDFW picked to work beside the Willapa Advisers that Region 6 picked in recent years. If the goal was get a broad cross section of Willapa citizens to participate in a process that will most certainly effect many in the future ( and the fish ) it safe to say that IS NOT what WDF&W did.

I’m very pleased to forward your appointment letter to the Willapa Bay Ad-Hoc Salmon Advisory Committee. The Ad-Hoc Committee will consist of the existing Willapa Bay Salmon Advisors and 4 new appointees. New appointees are:

Dean Antich, South Bend Products
Tim Hamilton, retired consultant petroleum industry
Brian Kraemer, research associate professor, medicine, UW
Paul Philpot, Pacific County Economic Development Council

Existing Willapa Bay Advisors include:

Marlisa Dugan, recreational angler and campground owner
Francis Estalilla, recreational angler
Steve Gacke, recreational angler
Lance Gray, commercial fisher
Steve Gray, commercial fisher
Allan Hollingsworth, retired commercial fisher
David Hollingsworth, commercial fisher
Bob Lake, commercial fisher
Andy Mitby, commercial fisher
Bob Mulhauser, recreational angler
Norm Reinhardt, recreational angler
LeeRoy Wisner, recreational angler

The first public meeting will be an open house on October 25th in Raymond. We will the follow that up with the first Ad-Hoc Committee meeting on October 27th. I’ve attached the news release with the meeting locations and dates so you can mark your calendar.

I look forward to working with you over the next four months to find solutions to the annual concerns over salmon in Willapa Bay. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions or concerns.

On fishing we are about to have serious rain but it will not be even up all over. http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/rfc/ Hit the precipitation forecast button then 240 hr precipitation button and you will see the forecast totals. Olympic side is going to rumble but the Chehalis not nearly as much so I do believe the East County & Lewis County guys are going to get conditions that seldom come around this time of year.

I thought I would post up the Willapa Plan redo schedule again. It will be a long process to be sure but if you have concerns over the direction of fish management in Willapa I would urge you to participate as much as possible.


October 15, 2014
Contact: Steve Thiesfeld, (360) 249-1201
Public meetings scheduled to discuss
Willapa Bay salmon management
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has scheduled seven public meetings this fall and winter to discuss and develop a new draft policy for managing salmon fisheries in Willapa Bay.
The policy, along with the previously adopted Columbia River and Grays Harbor policies, will provide regional guidance on hatchery and harvest reform and will align fishery management with conservation and economic objectives. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for WDFW, is scheduled to consider adopting the draft policy in February.
The Willapa Bay salmon fisheries are extremely valuable and popular, said Steve Thiesfeld, regional fish program manager for WDFW.
“We need the public’s help to identify fishery objectives and develop a policy that will ensure sustainable fisheries," he said.
The public meetings include an open house, three public workshops and three Willapa Bay salmon management advisory group meetings. The advisory committee discussions are open to the public, and those in attendance will have an opportunity to comment at the end of each meeting.
The public meetings are scheduled for:
• Oct. 25 – WDFW fishery managers will host an open house from 2-5 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Oct. 27 – Willapa Bay Advisory Committee, from 6-8 p.m.; public input from 8-9 p.m.; Raymond High School Library, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Nov. 1 – WDFW fishery managers will host a public workshop from 4-7 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Nov. 13 – Willapa Bay Advisory Committee, from 6-8 p.m.; public input from 8-9 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Nov. 20 – Willapa Bay Advisory Committee, from 6-8 p.m.; public input from 8-9 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Dec. 6 – WDFW fishery managers will host a public workshop from 2-5 p.m.; Raymond High School cafeteria, 1016 Commercial St., Raymond
• Jan. 17 – WDFW fishery managers will host a public workshop from 2-5 p.m.; Raymond Elks Lodge, 326 Third St., Raymond
At the Oct. 25 open house, the public will have the opportunity to learn about commission policies and Willapa Bay salmon management activities, including hatchery production, stock status and harvest.
“We’ll focus our initial conversations with the public on conservation and fishery objectives, including economic and season goals for commercial and recreational fishing for Willapa Bay salmon,” Thiesfeld said.
WDFW fishery managers are scheduled to brief the Fish and Wildlife Commission on the development of the draft policy during the commission's November meeting in Olympia.
Thiesfeld said WDFW will develop a range of policy options that will be discussed during the December commission meeting in Olympia. The commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the draft policy options during its January meeting.
The commission is scheduled to make a final decision at its February meeting. For more information on meeting times and places, visit the commission’s webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html .
Throughout the process, WDFW will periodically update its website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/willapa_bay_salmon/ with more information on the development of the draft policy.
________________________________________

In both Grays Harbor & Willapa many have complained that WDFW simply sets a season and lets it run on " auto pilot " regardless of the outcome as to escapement. Now WDFW has consistently claimed otherwise from the CES for the yearly fishing WAC to court documents. Well sometimes in the PDR process it takes a while to sort through to find the relevant document and that was the case with this issue. I will highlight the relevant verbiage.

From: Hughes Kirt M (DFW)
To: Fishing Regulations (DFW), gibsonjohn222@gmail.com
CC: Warren Ron R (DFW), Anderson Jon (DFW), Aho Randy T (DFW),
Scharpf Mike M (DFW)
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:14:25 -0700
Subject: RE: Aug 17 Rule Change Westport

Thanks for your inquiry. Please recall that the Ocean Areas are managed separately from the inland Marine Area of Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor.
The Ocean Areas are managed on a quota system which requires significant monitoring and in-season estimates of catch. Marine Areas 2.1 and 2.2 are managed on fixed season. Because of this the Ocean regulation are subject to change with some regularity as managers walk a fine line between ensuring that the quota is attained without going over. In fixed season management we establish the regulations before the season and stick with them. We do this by using average harvest rates and the assumption that these averages will be similar for the coming season. So in answer to your question, no, the Marine Area 2.2 will not change from a one Chinook daily bag to two.

From: Fishing Regulations (DFW)
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 3:01
PM
To: Hughes, Kirt M (DFW)
Cc: Warren, Ron R (DFW); Anderson, Jon
(DFW); Aho, Randy T (DFW)
Subject: FW: Aug 17 Rule Change Westport



For you!!!



What are the chances on this???



Thanks,



Jeff



From:
Sent: Thursday,
August 16, 2012 2:33 PM
To: Fishing Regulations (DFW)
Subject: Aug 17
Rule Change Westport



Will Area 2-2 change With Area 2 retention of 2 Chinook?

The ocean seasons are set based on forecast and estimated harvest rates.
The bay seasons are set based on forecast and estimated harvest rates.

Why is it assumed that the estimates in the inside fisheries are "better" than the outside. What is the track record of achieving escapement targets and catch estimates between the two areas?

The track record of achieving escapement is dismal and leaves many scratching their heads as to how certain people still have a job.

Well just when you think things are moving along you get a ringer. Guess what guys? WDF&W violated the three net free day rule in the Chehalis. I have spoken to Region 6 (R6 ) Manager Steve Theisfeld and he immediately accepted responsibility or fell on the sword if you will. That Mr. Theisfeld has staff issues is well known but frankly it is the fact that it even happened that is so offensive. It simply shows that inside Region 6 District 17 we have a long way to go to get a group of individuals that actually follow rules and direction. The issue was missed because R6 provided the combined schedules in the model then changed the schedule in the CR 103 without saying a bloody word to anyone. So much for trust.

Oh yeah almost forgot I did not catch the screw up but rather figured out the details. Credit the inriver fishers stuck behind 6 & seven days a week gillnets in past years. They count and it was not adding up and they started yipping away! Good job guys.

From the GHMP:

Page 3 Item 8
Recreational and WFDW-managed commercial fisheries shall be structured (e.g., schedule, location, gear) to minimize gear and other fishery conflicts. WDFW-managed commercial gillnet fisheries in a fishing area or aggregate area (i.e., Area 2A/2B/2D; or Area 2C) shall be scheduled, if possible, so that in any given calendar week there are a minimum of three consecutive days when no treaty or state-managed commercial fisheries occur. If the treaty fishery occurs 4 or more days in a calendar week, no WDFW-managed commercial fishery shall occur in the remaining days of the week

There's the loophole right there Riverguy.

You know I am not so sure of the loophole but rather total disregard of Commission policy. Staff would have to be both blind & deaf not be able to read the GHMP and understand the verbiage in the GHMP. It is direct and rather straight forward. So Eric I think I will go with total disregard of Commission directives but only because there was not a loophole unless one regards staff back conduct as a loophole. Ah .............. then again maybe staff regard no consequences for bad conduct as a loophole. Good point! My thoughts have been sent to the Commission and are below.

Commissioners below is the text of a post I made on a bulletin board. Simply put Commissioners Region 6 flagrantly violated the section of the Grays Harbor Management Plan outlined below. I regard it as a serious breach of trust that needs to be addressed. I am sure in the near future you will get many reasons why this happened but my response will be simple. It should never happened in the first place and if this conduct continues it will cast doubt on the validity of the Commission.
Dave

Well just when you think things a moving along you get a ringer. Guess what guys? WDF&W violated the three net free day rule in the Chehalis. I have spoken to Region 6 (R6 ) Manager Steve Theisfeld and he immediately accepted responsibility or fell on the sword if you will. That Mr. Theisfeld has staff issues is well known but frankly it is the fact that it even happened that is so offensive. It simply shows that inside Region 6 District 17 we have a long way to go to get a group of individuals that actually follow rules and direction. The issue was missed because R6 provided the combined schedules in the model then changed the schedule in the CR 103 without saying a bloody word to anyone. So much for trust.

Oh yeah almost forgot I did not catch the screw up but rather figured out the details. Credit the inriver fishers stuck behind 6 & seven days a week gillnets in past years. They count and it was not adding up and they started yipping away! Good job guys.

From the GHMP:
Page 3 Item 8

Recreational and WFDW-managed commercial fisheries shall be structured (e.g., schedule, location, gear) to minimize gear and other fishery conflicts. WDFW-managed commercial gillnet fisheries in a fishing area or aggregate area (i.e., Area 2A/2B/2D; or Area 2C) shall be scheduled, if possible, so that in any given calendar week there are a minimum of three consecutive days when no treaty or state-managed commercial fisheries occur. If the treaty fishery occurs 4 or more days in a calendar week, no WDFW-managed commercial fishery shall occur in the remaining days of the week

Theisfeld needs to man up and show some leadership. Someone needs to be held accountable immediately, and "falling on the sword himself" does not fix the problem.