You know, I can't count the times that I have read on this board the term "lets used the best possible science available" to restore our salmon and steelheads runs.

Now when someone brings up a valid scientific argument about the possibility of cloning steelhead to help them (the fish) from possibly becoming extinct, everyone who may oppose it starts chiming in with the old "habitat" issues. It appears that some people still believe that somehow, someplace, somewhere, someone one is going to work a miracle and "recreate" enough new habitats that will once again allow and support self-sustaining numbers of wild natural steelhead and salmon in our rivers. There may be a "few" such places that may be left, but they are far and few between.

Look around guys; it's going in the "other direction" and it is not turning around! Sure I believe in saving what we got left, but then again I, like you, are in the minority. So do we just sit around crying about it, or do want to apply science to help us? You know, dinosaurs were here once too, and if I recall the last time I looked, they are no longer here. They had all the habitat in the world, and mankind really wasn't that big of a threat to them…Yet they too are now gone!

The population of mankind keeps growing by leaps and bounds, the pollution from his growth probably doubles each year, and we think "habitat" will be the cure-all to save our fish. You can have the best "habitat" in the world at the headwaters of our rivers and you will most likely not have "healthy" runs of fish, if they are being forced to live and swim through our "sespools" that we have now created.

It's my opinion, fish need a whole lot more then just habitat to survive over the "long term" of their life cycle. We may now be seeing the begging of our newest "dinosaurs" if we don't use all the science that is available to us now. It would be stupid and irresponsible for us to continue to believe and tell ourselves that "habitat" is going to be the fish's only savior. I just can't understand why the "habitat" guys keep refusing to develop a scientific "backup" plan that will at lease give the fish an option if the "habitat dreams" become a "habitat nightmare"!

If you're going to criticize the ideal of developing a sound scientific alternative such as cloning, then use science to do it. The cloning process should not be dumped into the same barrel and mixed up with current "hatchery" problem that we now experience. I for one will keep my mind open on this until I see the science that shows it will not be a feasible alterative.

Sorry habitat guys, I'll wait until I can see the "whole picture" and just not one side of it. Show me the science that supports your reasoning why shouldn't we be developing a back up plan right now? What's there to be afraid of by doing so?

"Only a fool would put all of his eggs into one basket" This is a perfect example of doing just that. Smart people think ahead…doom people just scratch their heads and wonder what just happen!

I'm all ears guys…give us your "options" or your "back up" plan!


Cowlitzfisherman