My recollection, like Smalma's - fuzzied over time, is that the state considered it back in the 70s, but it either got the federal boot, or expected to get it, and therefore never got off the ground.

The marketplace may be having more of the effect you desire. I talked with a tribal fisheries manager last week, and he said not only is the ex-vessel price offered for steelhead and river caught salmon uneconomic for his fishermen, the local commercial buyers won't buy the mandatory state steelhead commercial buyer's license because the prospective harvest is too few fish at too low a value to make it worth it. Consequently, a few of his fishermen fish for personal consumption and a few over-the-bank sales and that's the extent of it. No money = no interest, or low interest in catching steelhead.

Unfortunately (a personal judgement here) their chum fishery is following the Puget Sound pattern and has become a roe fishery because that is all that the buyers want. No market for chum carcasses. Ah well, ocean derived nutrients for the river bed.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.