Smalma

The commercial fishing bias on the WDFW commission is not a function of the specific make up of the commission but a function of their actions. Time and time again decisions are handed down, like the shrimp allocations this Spring, that stink of bias. The commissioners even ignore their own biologists and also the majority of public opinion. They constantly hide behind the legislative mandate malarchy when their decisions are widely criticized. The commissioners go out of their way to dismiss all the studies done by researchers pointing out the lopsided benfit of sports fishing to the state economy. "It doesn't matter"..is what I remember two of the prominent commissioners saying prior to allowing public comment. Just calling a commissioner a "sport" oriented member because he happens to sport fish is way too simplistic and off the mark. I would say a true sports fishing member would be someone that has long credentials working for sports fishing enhancement and not a fly fisherman or bird watcher. Watch what they do, not what they say.

Also the Chinook that feed and grow in SE Alaska are not just predated by sports fishing. There is a huge troll fishery up there that catches a substantial number of "our fish"....those returning to our state. Much of the hook and line fishing for blackmouth in Puget Sound is targetting fish raised specifically for local harvest and does not consist of future 5 or 6 year old Chinook for the most part.

Beware of simplifying this issue too much.