Originally Posted By: Steelheadman
Originally Posted By: stlhdr1
Those rivers don't need selective gear regulations, not the issue.

Get rid of the hatchery plants where there are native steelhead and the natives will thrive in time. The hatchery fish are the #1 demise of the native populations...

Just my .02...

Keith


Generally your point seems to be get rid of hatchery plants and the natives will come back. You were not specific about which runs or rivers. On the OP rivers that drain into Hood Canal they stopped planting hatchery steelhead years ago and the natives have not rebounded. Haven't seen a rebound in wild steelhead in the creeks on the Kitsap Peninsula either. We all know there are always other factors that affect this.


Be more specific to rivers..? Many Puget sound rivers still get plenty of hatchery steelhead plants. In fairness to my argument hatchery supplementation/broodstocking dates back to the late 1800's and early 1900's in most of these Puget sound rivers. I can't imagine how whacked the genetics are in these rivers. Needless to say, it's likely that little if any true genetic stock is left to fight for, but that's just an opinion.

On a side note, my goal is to not rid the rivers of hatchery fish. I just would like to see wild fish return in some solid numbers. There are tribs that can support plants and populations without question.

Keith
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