Since the purpose of raising hatchery fish is largely for harvest, why then is WDFW not raising the limits to accomplish that goal? Since the return timing of hatchery fish is a very limited time in most areas, and of most species, why not allow more harvest on them, and help stop any possible intermingling with our wild stocks gene pool?

Who can give us any scientific reasons why this cannot, and should not be occurring right now?

Forget your emotion, and state only factual information that you know! In most places, it does not take very many hatchery fish to meet the hatchery needs, so why doesn't WDFW allow more harvest on these hatchery fish?

As just one flaming example, here, on the Cowlitz, the early predicted coho runs are being predicted to supercede last years runs by almost double! So why hasn't WDFW increased the limits of coho to adjust to the huge number of predicted coho that are predicted to return? At best, WDFW only need about 10,000 adults to meet all of their Cowlitz Salmon Hatcheries needs, plus a few more! So even "IF" the current predictions are even off by 50%, WDFW will still see a return of over 80 thousand adult coho back to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery this year.

Could it be that WDFW has already been "bought off" by the Commercial Columbia River Gill Netters, and that it is already been preordained that they are going to be the ones who are going to reap the huge returns of our coho runs this year? Since the netters always get the "first shot" at the major portion of the hatchery runs, what do you think will happen? There is no reason that I can see why this does not apply to all hatchery stocks of steelhead, and chinook too!

Now is the time to ask these questions, and not in the middle of the run!

OK, except for "4Salt", and his endless desire to counter my questions with his endless conspiracy crap, can anyone else out there answer these questions? If not, don't be a scratching your heads later!

Cowlitzfisherman