In discussion among some of a group of friends the question of late Coho was shall we say lively so to boil it down the following. The Chehalis Coho the Satsop late production of smolts is around 200k and the upper basin Skookumchuck mitigation is 300k late timed Coho.

This is a huge portion of the marked Coho but most return in December & January. As this is outside the November 30 cut off for the NOF season setting process so it is not part of the conversation.

Why not? Yes the tribal Steelhead season starts in Dec but are few Steelhead present since the end of the planting of early timed hatchery Steelhead. Yes one should be concerned about the status of Wild Native Late Coho but C&R could reduce mortalities and if necessary gear restrictions. Steelhead the same but the percentage of the wild Steelhead run present in those months is rather small so the number of wild Steelhead mortalities would be very small.

In the ZOOM forecast meeting staff mentioned that they were going to have a conversation with the QIN. Our conversations boiled down are kind of like this. Why does WDFW allow the QIN to dictate state recreational salmon seasons? Yes December is within their season for Steelhead but nets are non-selective so they are a no go. Why do all salmon season setting conversations have a November 30 end date when a substantial portion of the marked Coho return in Dec & Jan?

I always fall back on what the tribal folks I worked with said “everybody fishes or nobody fishes”. Others went with the question why do the QIN get to dictate state Rec seasons that do not violate conservation standards accepted in other parts of the state? Do not violate the court mandated sharing?

I could go but I am looking for other thoughts on this issue and not the emotional you dirty rat but rather ideas based on experience around this or similar issues. The Chehalis season has been reduced to more or less a six-week season depending on location, fish movement, and weather. Any conservation issues in Dec & Jan can be readily addressed so just what is driving WDFW on this issue?

Thoughts?