I recieved clarification today on the Grandy Creek project and upon fully understanding what the Grandy Creek hatchery will provide, I am all in favor of it.

At this time, the WDFW is dumping about 500,000 hatchery fingerlings in many differnt tributaries and sloughs within the Skagit watershed (this has been taking place for about the past 5 years). Because they are being planted as fingerlings and not smolts, these winter steelhead are not imprinting. Thus, when they return as adults, they are straying not only within the watershed but within Puget Sound.

The Grandy Creek Project will build rearing ponds for these fingerlings so they can raise them to smolts and concentrate them in one area to reduce straying and to reduce the possibility of spawning with wild steelhead populations.

The Grandy Creek Project WILL NOT in fact raise the amount of winter steelhead planted within the Skagit...it will concentrate these fish to limit their interications with wild steelhead.

I believe it is time to fully support the Grandy Creek Project!!!