The thing that really concerns me is the whole managing the Chehalis as an aggregate. While that’s great for an overall look at the health of the system, the Department’s willingness to do so in order to “simplify”, in their words, the regulations, is total [Bleeeeep!]. If reading the regulations, and seeing ”Hoquiam River: CLOSED to fishing for Salmon. Wynoochee River: CLOSED to fishing for Salmon” is too confusing for you... “You’ve got bigger problems” would be a nice way to put it. We don’t need you on the rivers.

They’re able to manage rivers individually for Chinook, why can’t they for Coho, especially on the lower Chehalis tribs without hatchery supplementation that are annually struggling to make even 50% escapement. Strikes me as a lazy effort by the Department.

We’re annually carried as a basin by the upper tributaries, many of which are closed to fishing for salmon. I’m old enough to know that EVENTUALLY those rivers that are carrying us now will struggle, and it’d be nice to have healthier lower tribs that could carry us WHEN, not if, that happens. We don’t get there by keeping our collective boot on their neck on these “big” returns.