The free spawning fish would eventually become that river's native wild fish. They would eventually develop characteristics that would set them apart from other rivers. Granted, they would always share some, as all steelhead do now.

I guess I am as concerned about the preservation of the health of a river as I am with the preservation of a true "native" run that goes back before whites arrived. To me protecting the health of a river is also protecting the health of our open spaces and forests and water quality, you know, tree huggin crap.

Mainly saying= death of the last wild fish is a [Bleeeeep!] up on our part, we would have, at that point, [Bleeeeep!] off. But even if we destroyed all fish for 4 years, fish would come, oh yes they would come, they wouldnt know why, but they would come. A yearning in them would pull them here. They would come and they would pay, pay to watch basebal... er...... um......

I hope that someone would figure out why they went away or possibly we are like what that guy in "The Matrix" said: "We are not mammals, every other mammal develops an equalibrium with it's enviroment".

Gee, Wally there is so much land.