I have a question for the folks in the Chehalis Basin regarding closures. In recent years we have had three years of partial closures due to uncertainty of the run size or preseason forecast being small in numbers of adults. Steve shut things down few years back after net season failure but then the fish showed but we were toast by then. Some restrictions other years and this year two weeks in Sept., which if you fish tide water are your best weeks. Add to it damn near the entire Sept. and early Oct run came in way early this year.

The question is not that in lean years restraint in harvest is required but how you do it to reduce impacts and maintain a quality fishery? Some of us have talking about this and frankly I think a better solution exist. Using this year which we lost 14 days in Sept. prime time what is wrong with loosing two days a week? In other words say for simplicity the rec season is closed on Monday / Tuesday for the six weeks ( Sept 15 through Oct. 31 ) and fish Wednesday through Sunday. Might need to do some in November also so you get the number reduction required.

This strikes me as a reasonable alternative and fair to both inland and tidewater fishers. It also allows for WDFW and the QIN getting things wrong, which happens, without totally screwing over folks be it unintentional.

Your thoughts?