I think that sport fishing played a roll in the decline of Steelhead be it not as the same magnitude tribal commercial fisheries. No free rides here! Now that said the unbelievably anal manner the agencies past and present hatcheries were used is mind boggling. There are ways to use hatcheries and ways not to use them. The purest want no hatcheries and others plant fish all over, both are part of the problem if not the problem for fishers. The conflict between the two philosophies has been about like hand to hand combat in the agency for years. Truth is a native Steelhead run should be heavily protected, where they are toast utilize that stream for harvest and look to opportunities where H&W conflicts are not present. Summerrun in Grays Harbor being an excellent example no interbreeding or wild genetic conflicts winter Steelhead just the opposite.

Steelhead or native salmon cannot be saved in every stream and every place as we as a people do not have the will. Until folks get there arms rapped around that fact and chart a different path nothing changes.