I disagree. There is almost no enforcement at any of the places I fish. I've been checked twice in over twenty years of fishing and I fish quite a bit including some popular spots like elliot bay. Granted I strictly observe all the regs.

I think too much enforcement effort is focused on sting operations against organized poaching like the geoduck and crab poaching ring they busted down in tacoma last year. Multiple agents worked on that for something like 18 months. Thats a lot of effort to bust a few poachers.

In about half a day an agent could bust a dozen or more crab poachers simply by pulling all the pots out at shilshole right now fishing during closed season and sending each of those people a ticket. I am sure most everyone on this board know multiple holes on various rivers that snaggers can be found 24/7 when salmon are in the river. Why they don't enforce the no snagging rule is also a mystery.

I think if the state is going to keep applying more and more complex regulations on the sportspeople of this state (which I support in general), then it is their duty to enforce those regulations. If the current trend of ever changing and complex regulation keeps up without adequate enforcment, soon very few of us will follow the rules.

I'm not advocating hiring more enforcement people, just a refocusing of their effort.

The other thing that would help is to stiffen the penalties for violators.