Boater,

I will sincerely believe you when you say you want wild fish recovered. I don't know that I agree that everybody does. The salmon is a big thorn in a lot of peoples' sides, people who are no freinds to anglers. I believe some of them would be glad to see wild fish out of their hair. I think a lot of others want to do right by wild fish up to some point where it hurts too much. Frankly, I beleive many anglers fall in that category.

The answers to every one of your fair questions is positive. There are many things that WDFW could change about the way it operates hatcheries short of shutting them (or at least all of them) down. Some of the changes may not be enough to eliminate the harmful impacts on chinook, but they would certainly reduce them, possibly enough that they could at least be in compliance with the ESA. So far, WDFW shows no inclination to make those changes. They include reducing the size of fish at release, chanoing the timing of releases, reducing the total number of releases and/or possibly closing certain programs, and most importantly actually carrying out monitoring that will tell managers whether these measures are reducing impacts and by how much. Business as usual will not get the job done.

Grandpa,

I have to take exception. You're using an old and not very nice debating tactic. You are attacking my credibility by accusing me of indefensible behaviour without having any idea if I'm guilty of any of them. As it happens, I've never pitched a tent in the middle of the road, or was ever even close to involved in spiking a tree or any other act that ever put one single person in the slightest physical jeopardy (and I do take personal insult at that ugly implication). I've never tried to shut anyone's water "off." I believe you're for banning nets; do you think that might cause some pain? (Not to you.)

I have tried to be as clear and as honest as I could be. I can honestly tell you that I am at a complete loss regarding my "true agenda." Maybe you can spell out what exactly you think it is, and I can respond.

And actually, well over 70% of the people polled in the Northwest favor recovery of wild fish, and that majority holds up when people are told what it could cost. It may just be the majority of fishers (recreational, commercial, and tribal) who favor the hatchery fish. Oh, yeah, and the property rights folks. (But by the way, being in that 70% doesn't make me think that your 30% should have to sit down and shut up now.)

Herm,

I respect your position. It's clear you at least read what I wrote. You might not want to hear it, but I can tell you that we are at eachothers' elbows on some of the fights you mentioned.

Ramon Vanden Brulle,
Washington Trout