C&R only for wild steelhead in Washington

[Jignfloat]

I just wish it applied to Everyone!!!!

Still way too many of them wind up sold along the road. Russ

[ 02-07-2004, 01:23 PM: Message edited by: Jignfloat ]

[Thumper]

There are two sides to this issue. Those in favor of fewer and fewer hatcheries assure us that without brats the runs of wild steelhead would build to levels where they could be retained. I am told that there are some Washington waters that currently have harvestable runs.

Now a complete native ban is in effect. Not too encouraging for those of us who catch and keep hatchery fish. I think it is clear that if we lose hatcheries we will also lose the right to keep steelhead, period. Too bad.

[Jignfloat]

I'm with Will Roehl on this one.....there "are" several coastal streams that don't need this moratorium. And I assume he knows what he's talking about. Once something like this gets set in place....even as a temporary thing, it seems like it never gets lifted....ever. THe wild fish issue will continue to be a political dance, as no politician is willing to jeopordize his budding career with the realities of this issue. SO....control what they can...sport fishers. In my opinion, "incidental catch" is a crime , and will remain one, unfortunately.

Russ

[boater]

Originally posted by Stew:

More details to follow but a pat on the back to the Wild Steelhead Coalition for their efforts.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">if this was a conservation effort i would pat them on the back, but it`s nothing more than a transfer of harvest to the catch and release crowd, whats next, dont shoot the deer becasue we want to take pictures of them ??

[Straydog]

Originally posted by Thumper:
There are two sides to this issue. Those in favor of fewer and fewer hatcheries assure us that without brats the runs of wild steelhead would build to levels where they could be retained. I am told that there are some Washington waters that currently have harvestable runs.

Now a complete native ban is in effect. Not too encouraging for those of us who catch and keep hatchery fish. I think it is clear that if we lose hatcheries we will also lose the right to keep steelhead, period. Too bad.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">A slippery slope indeed. It feels sssooo good to agree with Thumper!

[lovetofish]

That's good news indeed! In principle, I
wouldn't mind if a native fish got conked once in
awhile...but only once we turn back the clock to 1950 and reduce the population of humans by
two thirds...

As it is, these fish are way too precious to kill.

--steve

[jaydee]

Try goin' over to the PPs forum to see some interesting opinions/posts about this issue.

J.D.

[ 02-07-2004, 08:27 PM: Message edited by: jaydee ]

[steelheadslayer]

I agree with what Thumper said. It is a two edged sword. I never make it up to the peninsula to fish those rivers and I doubt I'd keep a wild fish if I caught one. I feel the native gene pool needs as much help as it can get. The bad side of the coin would be for the guides who rely on this fishery for their livelihood. Will the number of trips booked decline drastically if people can't keep a fish they catch? It's a dilemma for sure, depending which side you look at.

Good News!
The WDFW has decided on a two year moratorium of the harvest of wild steelhead.
More details to follow but a pat on the back to the Wild Steelhead Coalition for their efforts.

Here are the details:

NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
February 6, 2004
Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259

Commission adopts two-year moratorium
on wild steelhead retention statewide

OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today adopted new sportfishing rules for the 2004-05 season that include a two-year moratorium on retaining any wild steelhead caught in state waters.

The moratorium, adopted on a 5-3 vote, will require anglers to release any steelhead caught from April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006 that is not marked as a hatchery fish by a missing adipose fin and a healed scar.

Drawing from a list of 463 proposed changes - 336 of them submitted by the public - the commission also adopted new handling requirements for releasing salmon and steelhead that cannot be retained, additional protection for Columbia River sturgeon and fixed starting dates for recreational crab fishing.

Commissioners also declined to take action on several proposals, including one to ban treble hooks in saltwater fisheries and another to prohibit the use of motorized vessels on the Satsop and Wynoochee Rivers.

Commissioner R.P. Van Gytenbeek of Seattle initiated the discussion about requiring the release of wild steelhead by calling for a permanent ban on wild steelhead retention. When that motion failed, the commission considered and rejected the idea of a six-year moratorium before scaling it back to two years.

"In this case, I think a half a loaf is better than no loaf at all," Van Gytenbeek said. "A lot of people in this state are concerned about the decline of our wild steelhead stocks and I think a moratorium gets us started down the right path."

Commission Chair Will Roehl of Bellingham did not share that view, noting that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is currently working on a new comprehensive plan for steelhead management, tailored to specific stocks.

"I can't support banning retention of wild steelhead on rivers where stocks are healthy and returns are strong," Roehl said. "I don't think this broad-brush action is warranted, but that appears to be the will of commission."

When releasing steelhead or salmon that cannot be retained under state law, anglers will have to follow new handling procedures approved today by the commission. Measures adopted by the commission prohibit completely removing salmon or steelhead caught in lakes or streams from the water or pulling them into a boat in Puget Sound prior to release.

To provide greater protection for Columbia River sturgeon, the commission extended the closed area below Bonneville Dam approximately two miles downstream to Marker 85 from May 1 to July 31. All sturgeon fishing - whether from a boat or from the bank - will be prohibited in the expanded closure area, where the fish tend to congregate.

In addition, the annual harvest of sturgeon for personal use was reduced from 10 fish to five statewide, and sturgeon seasons recently developed in conjunction with Oregon were adopted as permanent rules for the 2004-05 season.

Recreational crabbers, meanwhile, can expect greater certainty in the timing of their seasons in the coming year. For the first time since 2000, the commission set opening dates for each marine area rather than relying on tests to determine when the crab have finished their molt.

Improved data on molting periods provided by WDFW allowed the commission to set opening dates this year for crab fisheries in all 13 marine areas of Puget Sound and the Washington coast, Roehl said.

"We're pleased that we've reached this point," Roehl said. "Now we have the data we need to protect the resource, while allowing people to plan their vacations."

[Hooker]

Great news Stew! I also like the C&R rules on not removing them from the water upon release. WDFW made some positive steps today!