http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/307035.html


from the second page of the article



"After seeing 10 years of hard labor negated by a 10-minute decision and a 10-day gillnet season, Loomis said he realized "I'll never be able to raise more fish than the commercial fisherman can harvest."

His research convinced him that 80 percent or more of the region's salmon were being harvested in the ocean.

Anglers have "been brainwashed over the years" into thinking that the problem with salmon and steelhead is caused mostly by "hydro (dams), habitat and hatcheries," Loomis said. "But the main problem is the overharvest of wild fish."


so? is it over harvest or habitat?

its gotta start somewhere. habitat may be declining but if there are no fish to make it to the rivers from the ocean it really wont matter.

so get rid of the comercial fisheries, and teach all these fish buying people to fish and there would be no need. then everyone can go catch a fish when they want to eat fish. not catch 100million fish and have half go to waste...

thats my opinion.

Both.

The State has proven over and over for 40 years that they cannot predict a season, no one can when you have so many outside influences.
No run of fish has a chance when they must fight there way through the ocean and the foreign fleets through their growing years, Alaska, Canada and Washington commercial fishermen and make it back to their home rivers with any consistancy. It only takes one of these influences to be in the rightplace at the right to wipe out a huge chunk of a run and the foreign fishermen are very good at it.
Habitat has been a way the State, commercials and Tribes have deflected the blame for those same 40 years. Don't get me wrong, habitat is just as important, but habitat does nothing if they cannot get to the systems. Most screwed up systems can sustain fish no matter what happens, just look at the Toutle River, after the big blow they said it would 30 years before it recovered, well, it has done pretty darn good for a wiped out system.
Until we (USA) stop the foreign fishermen in our waters and we (State) put enough pressure on Alaska and Canada and we (people of Washington) demand the stop of nets of any kind by ANY group, we are doomed.

Ditto Anuty M.