Smlama

Fair enough!

Smalma you are one of the very few people on this board that hold high respect for. The knowledge that you hold about our fish is not replaceable. But I have to respectfully disagree with you on this issue.

My wife and I have been working all day long in the yard stacking lumber that we had just had milled from a large fir tree that was "after our home"! So please bear with me, if I get a little side tracked or off track. I am really getting tired and I am trying to ask you questions that are not to argumentative.

You say; "The genetic diversity we find in wild steelhead is the direct result of the diverse habitats in which they live."

So be it; but what do we do when those "diverse habitats" are no longer there, or they become even more diminished?

You also say; "As we simplify habitats we are simplifying the fish" I have to disagree again with you, but the "fish" have no choices, but to adapt to what ever habitat that they have available…right? Is that in your mind, enough to keep self sustaining runs going?

For this propose, of debate only; you say "Our anadromous salmonids, including steelhead evolved over 10.000s of years in very dynamic river systems"

Did not other creatures like the dinosaurs do the same thing? Are they not gone now too? Evolving can only go so far some times, and then other factors take their course too.

We are almost at the end now…but you say; "The Cowlitz downstream of the dams is an oblivious example of where all our rivers are headed. If we accepted your position that it is inevitable that is where our rivers are headed then what is the point of preserving the genetic diversity of what was?

Smalma; those are 100% your words, not my words! But now that you have said it, let's take it to the next step! Tell us, in your opinion, why are we headed this way?

You say; "While don't I disagree with your position -in fact it is pretty clear that we as a society put little value on wild steelhead and wild rivers I refuse to give up entirely"

Smalma, I respect you for your stand, and you should never give it up!

I agree with you that we should continue to fight tooth and nail to "protect" what little habitat we have left.

Finally, you say; "If I can't fish in wild dynamic rivers with naturally produced salmonids then I might as well be bass or carp fishing. While I find nearly all forms of fishing enjoyable (there aren't many fishermen any more eclectic as myself) being able to wade a wild river with the potential of connecting with a naturally produced fish is special to me.

Very well stated Smalma!

I still respect your opinion better then most. To bad that there aren't more open mined people such as you that cant see both side of the pages!

Cowlitzfisherman