I would like to set the record straight on the WSC and Hatchery Reform. As many of you are aware, the WSC mission statement and action plan each contain a number of action points. Each of these was chosen because of its impact on wild steelhead. After all, the WSC is an organization dedicated to increasing the return of wild steelhead to the waters and rivers of the Pacific Northwest.

These action points were then prioritized so as to allow the organization to focus on those issues that could best be impacted in the short term. In other words, statewide C & R of wild steelhead was chosen as the top priority both because it was determined the most important issue and because there is a current window of opportunity given this year's WDFW major rules change cycle.

Further down the list of priorities falls Hatchery Reform. The mission statement includes: Hatchery programs must be closely examined and be carried out in such a manner that the negative impacts on wild fish are removed or minimized. This just says that wild fish need to be taken into consideration when evaluating hatchery programs.

The WSC is not anti-hatchery. The WSC is primarily comprised of fishermen and women. These are people that have a passion for steelhead fishing and in many cases (myself included) structure their lives around the pursuit of this passion. The last thing in the world we want is to do away with hatcheries. The simple truth is, if there were no hatcheries, there would be few if any steelhead fisheries in Washington.

Given that we all recognize the need for hatcheries, the question now becomes what can be done to make sure hatcheries become both more efficient while at the same time minimizing the impacts on wild fish. That is what the WSC means by Hatchery Reform.

One example of reform would be to promote the use of local stock to maintain genetic diversity rather than planting all our river systems with a single stock (i.e. Chambers Creek fish). Another example would include shifting hatchery evaluation models away from poundage of smolt production and towards percentage of returning adults. After all, you don't hear a farmer bragging about how many pounds of seed he put into his field. His measure of success is the yield at harvest. That should be one measure of a hatchery program as well. Above all the WSC stands for making sure that science instead of politics is used to guide decision making.
Finally, I read above that "the "rumblings" are that there are some very strong anti-hatchery members within WSC". I don't personally know all the members or even all the trustees but this is quite possible. Just as there are a wide range of opinions within the Republican and Democratic parties, I am sure there are an equally wide range among WSC supporters. My question to you is, does that matter? What matters is the WSC board of directors understands the importance of hatcheries and is dedicated to increasing the number of wild fish in our rivers. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Hatchery fish are for the table, wild fish for the future!

Oh by the way, thanks to RichG for starting this thread . I too get a little ticked off when I remember back to November and the hordes of concerned anglers who stepped up and vowed to do whatever was needed to bring back the fish and the fisheries. There were pledges of membership, time and money. Some followed through but the majority have not. Come on guys, there is a real opportunity to make a change here if we all band together and demand it. If not, we can all meet back up at Ted's this winter and vent again about how badly we have been treated. The choice is yours, I've made mine.

Duggan Harman
WSC Board President