The thing is that the separation was about harvest to be sure and the future of rec opportunity. As this unfolded in the 90's it was contentious with many groups within the Chehalis Basin but it was one particular exchange that I remember best. A gentlemen from Centralia was particularly adamant that this would result in the total loss of inland rec harvest. The then deputy director was totally exasperated and fired right back with this, " we are going to loose Puget Sound rec opportunity and we need someplace for those people to go" All these years later one thing stands out, everybody ended up being right. I do not think anyone involved believed WDFW could screw it up to the degree they have.

DW's comment is correct as the GH policy has worked far better than expected and the QIN have stayed mostly to the conservative side with harvest. Compared with Willapa where WDFW managed to devastate both rec & commercial fisheries I would say despite its short comings the GHMP works or the Chehalis Basin would resemble the shambles we see in Willapa.

Little edit: Loose rec fisheries in PS was in the context of fisheries that existed in the late 80's into the early 90's.