WA has low wild steelhead abundance statewide. But WDFW finds it necessary that "State-managed recreational fishing closes Nov. 30 in the Chehalis, Humptulips, Quinault, and Queets rivers due to chronic low wild steelhead abundance." I think it's worth noting that the rivers closed to recreational fishing due to chronic low wild steelhead abundance are exactly those rivers fished by the Quinault Tribe. Other rivers fished by other tribes have their wild steelhead abundance issues too, but apparently not at the same level as the rivers fished by the Quinault. This has me thinking that the Quinault Tribe doesn't see chronic low wild steelhead abundance as the kind of conservation issue that WDFW does. Could it be that Quinault's significantly lower spawning escapement goals have something to do with this? Or maybe that the Quinault Tribe has adopted the policy - not biological - decision that hatchery and wild fish are the same? With such disparate management concepts, it seems like "chronic low wild steelhead abundance" is by management design. And whichever co-manager has the lowest standards wins - if you can call it that.