A couple of folks called and asked me about the rec vs commercial thing in the North end of the bay and asked that I line it out for all, so here goes. The problem revolves around WDFW putting in nets areas T & U all the way up the Willapa River for days . The end results where sweeping the bay and Willapa River clean leaving little for recs and just as the fish numbers built back up in goes the nets to sweep everything clean again which pretty much destroyed the rec season.

The solution is simple you put the commercial boundary in U near the airport. Let commercial fish say Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday then off the water. The Recs would fish the remainder of the week and fish would also get above the new commercial boundary allowing for reasonably successful rec opportunity when the commercials fish their three days. The T fishery for recs and commercials is dependent on the new adults entering the bay so it is even on opportunity.

The thing is if the 5 million release was done at Forks Creek the number of fish available for both rec and commercial would be vastly greater than the ridiculous idea of using Naselle. Is this solution perfect for recs or commercials? Nope, nope, and nope but it would work.

WDFD created this mess between the recs and commercials when they created a upriver boundary that is absurd. It appears that the solution is to be get rid of hatcheries that are successful and spend millions on something that will likely fail both rec and commercial fishers. I am not sure what thought process was utilized for this fiasco but frankly if writing a review of their plans the words " not well thought out " would appear often. Being a farm boy I would use " stupid " but then I would be criticized for being unkind to the word stupid so I will not.