I sent a note to the WDFW several weeks ago protesting the nets in the Columbia. This is their response. It's clear (to me at least) that they just don't get it!

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November 2, 2000

Dear Mr. Smith:

Thank you for you inquiry to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) regarding your concerns of the nets in the Columbia River.

The commercial fishing season in the Columbia River has been scheduled to go from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. October 23, and then from 7:00 a.m. October 24 through 7:00 p.m. October 27. There will be another Compact meeting set for October 27 to discuss whether there will be any further openings.

As for recreational fisheries, the sport fishery in the Columbia River is open 7 days/week. In the Washington tributaries, coho fishing is open 7 days/week and in certain areas the bag limit has been increased to allow for up to 6 adult coho per day. Those areas are the Lewis, Cowlitz, and Toutle rivers. Additionally, several thousand coho have been put upstream in the Cowlitz River above the Barrier Dam to provide additional opportunity in the upper Cowlitz. Overall, coho fishing in the Washington tributaries has been very good this year with some days producing a coho per angler.

WDFW is tasked with providing both commercial and recreational opportunity to the fishers, including ocean fishing opportunities. The sharing of the Columbia River coho must be viewed in terms of both ocean and in-river fisheries, and for recreational, commercial, and treaty Indian fishers.

Thank you for your interest in Washington State fisheries.

Sincerely,
Fish Program

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I just heard that nets are being allowed back in the Columbia for another week - Monday thru Friday. Is this true? If so, I've had it. I've fished in S.W. Washington for most of my life. When the nets go in, fishing shuts down until 3 days after they're out. Letting them fish Monday thru Friday, and then pulling the nets Saturday and Sunday, only wipes out the fish for the sportsmen on weekends, and allows the nets to go back in when the fish have begin to fill the system up again. When will the resource be shared equally?! It's time for nets to be banned from all Washington rivers!

So the commercials had 4 days this month and the sports have been allowed 31. From what I've ben hearing it's been exceptional production at that for both user groups! So what is your point!

Signed: a life long sport enthusiast and ex commercial

Most of the fishing community know that every spring the sport groups, tribes, and commercial non indians sit down and set the seasons ahead of time, they all have to agree to this. It is not a fun and enjoyable process for anyone group.
A net fisherman just doesnt wake up in the morning and fish he will know ahead the schedule.
Maybe our emphasis should be on getting the fish past the dams and a higher survival rate of return. We need to look at the BIG picture not just the nets that is just one of the problems.
Thank You.

I have posted here and on the ifish board about this subject and when I did I was pretty upset also. I felt that it was not a fair allocation the way they were setting the commercial season. I can understand letting the commercial fishers in the Columbia as there is a big excess of silvers this year. The Cowlitz hatchery even with the heavy netting received 6800 fish back just last week. I was told earlier this month that they already had over 10,000 silvers return and that was before the 6800 additional. Just to enlighten you MM, the commercials were given Monday through Friday for either 3 or 4 weeks in a row, not just the four days that is discussed here. It looks like it didn't matter anyway as there were so many fish that a lot made it through!!! Thier last day was this past Wednesday for the fall season. Captain Hook before you get to PO'd I suggest you go fishing up at the Barrier Dam, there are so many fish that the hatchery workers are trucking them back to the launch and releasing them so that the sporty's get another shot at them. Last Sunday over 15 truckloads and today at least 10 (each truck averages 150 fish). I have having trouble typing this we hooked so many fish today. If this were a lean year I would be more upset, and three weeks ago I was, but it has worked out alright.
Good luck and tight lines, a sore armed Jeff

Before you listen to all of the reports from the Cowlitz, about 6800 fish last week. You might want to find out how many of those fish where the ones that are released at the boat launch to run the course again. I have seen as many as 10 trucks a day dump 200 each time. Preaty easy to get 6800 in a week this way. The nets have killed the fishery in the lower river near Castle Rock, and if there are so many fish on their way, how come 99.9% of the fish at the Barrier Dam are dark. Think about it, all of us sportsman have gotten the big green *&^))#@.Gill netters have gotten 17 out of 23 day in October.

You know the whole gillnetting thing just fires me up? It's an insult to let the netters in the columbia at all and incidentally catch the wild fall chinook of the Lewis, and yes if they are still netting they are still catching these fish. The sportsman have not been able to keep any of the chinook in the lewis during the entire season. One of my favorite fisheries on the Lewis is usually right now because there are typicallymany chrome bright 30-50lb hogs in the river but this year very few are to be found. It's also the first year in quite a while they've let the netters in the lower columbia. I thought we were out to protect the wild fish. If you don't have the opportunity to release a wild fish alive you shouldn't be netting. Once they're in the net they're dead. Except those that escape, the smaller fish which the lewis if full of right now, small silvers with net marks all over them. STOP ALL NETTING FOREVER, And you will keep seeing returns of fish. Stop all netting off of the coast and canada and you will see large returns of silvers like we have in the last couple of years.
It makes me sick to think that there are individuals out there who make a living off of netting. It's all a cop out. For all I care in the future we can make all fisheries catch and release, its the beauty of the fight and hookset that I love.

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[This message has been edited by stlhdr1 (edited 11-06-2000).]

Until mankind decides that salmon are no longer a gourmet food item, there will always be gillnetters. Before you are so quick to jugde commercial fisherman or become "repulsed" by them, take a walk in their shoes. I know that's pretty cliche, but if you've never spent time on a commercial boat, you don't know what you're criticizing. I've spent many hours on sets that have resulted in empty nets. Any fish caught is one less in the river, period. You think you sporties are doing the fish a favor by catching them on a hook? I'm an avid sport fisher also, so I understand both sides of the dilemma. But just re-read my opening comment.

Had a great opener last week in the south sound. Price is up to 1.50 #. Out of the whole opener we only caught 1 silver and two blackmouth(which were brailed out of the bunt) out of 15000 lbs of chum. I'm sure it's the same for all hook hauling off Manchester and Blake.

[This message has been edited by MMOUSE (edited 11-08-2000).]

MMOUSE, sounds like good fishing. Had one of the guys in our club get to go along on a boat as a designated observer a while ago. It was early and only a few chum were caught, but he said it was a great experience. I think that I will make some time next year to participate as an observer myself.
I personally do not like the thought of any commercial salmon fishing in the south sound.
By the way, I thought you signed your previous post: a life long sport enthusiast and ex commercial. What does ex commercial mean if you state that "Out of the whole opener we only caught 1 silver and two blackmouth"? Oops.....

I am curious about something? The east coast faced the same problem we are years ago and they baned nets and went to long lines. Today the fish industry is good and the mortality rate is down. Is it mans reluctance to change or is it economics that prevents that from happening here.