Folks interested in making their opinions known on this proposed fishery ought to do it right away, as the decision will likely be made in the next couple of weeks.

This one week kill fishery will come at the expense of a one month WSR fishery. Not a CNR fishery, but one where wild fish are released and hatchery fish are still legal to harvest.

I can't really understand the option to have a one week kill fishery.

KILL FISHERY

Forecast of 105 wild fish harvested, along with any incidental hatchery fish, which should account for a lot of fish, too, as all those tribs have late returning hatchery fish. Likely the hatchery harvest would far outweigh the amount of wild fish harvested.

Fishing lasts seven days, then that's it until June.

WILD STEELHEAD RELEASE FISHERY

No directed wild fish harvest, which protects the runs in all those tributaries, where a few fish could make the difference between making escapement in a few years or not.

Hatchery fish are still available to harvest...and will likely outnumber the wild fish encountered anyway, not to mention have an additional three weeks to put fish in the freezer, plus the added bonus of getting them out of the system so they don't spawn with the wild fish.

A month of fishing, rather than a week. More opportunity, more $$ in the local economies, less gas spent to drive out to the coast or up to the Skagit/Sauk to fish, and less pressure on those other open rivers, too, by spreading out the fishing pressure more.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, a feeling that WDFW is both creating opportunity and making an effort to not do it at the expense of wild fish. Lack of trust and integrity is a huge problem for WDFW right now, and this is a way to establish some of both.

That's my take on it, anyway...

Fish on...

Todd.