Bodysurf

I do not know who you are getting your information from concerning the Cowlitz Spring chinook and their disposition of coded wire tag fish. Less then 10% of the springers have coded wire tags when they are release. I just got off the phone with WDFW in Vancouver and they have confirmed that all of the 203 adults and the 134 jacks were that were killed had coded wire tags. That is the reason why they were killed. They went to the food bank because they had not been exposed to fungus drugs.

One reason why most of the coded springers are not sent to food bank after being kill or spawned is that they have been "treated" early on with an anti fungus drugs because they are held by their run return timing. They will not send any 'treated" fish to the food banks because it is illegal for them to do so.

The fish that were given to the food bank all had coded wire tags.

You said; "interestingly they ended up pretty short on coho last year...so maybe they should be keeping more to spawn".

You need to ask your source how could that possibly be? They had well over 80,000 adult return to hatchery last year!....short? who's kidding who?

Cowlitzfisherman