First I will say that I am for WSR in principle ..same goes for salmon. There is a problem , however. The flyfishers and WSC tried to dominate the commission meeting with testimony over and over again saying the same thing...Stopping wild steelhead harvest by sportsmen is not their only goal in my opinion. It seems that their common thread is to designate rivers as off limits to all except those few who share their views. Fly fishing only perhaps?

The problem with narrow agendas is that they are pushed by a narrow minority and seek to impose rules and regulations on the majority who may sympathize with parts of their agenda but oppose most of it. WDFW and state government needs to atleast try to rule on things for the most inclusive results. Now I know they fail miserably on that when it comes to commercial fishing bias and boneheaded decisions but I think real change needs to be shown to be inclusive and not exclusive or it will fail.

Just because a bus load of fly fishermen descended on the commission hearing doesn't mean that they represent a majority viewpoint. The show of force by the crab convoy (myself included) didn't seek to dominate the meeting or disrupt it.. We were there to bring an issue to light that is supported by virtually ever person who crabs and a big percentage of license holders who do not. We will follow up with petitons that , although not official or binding on anyone, will show a broad base of support for inclusion....The effort does not seek to exclude anyone it only seeks to bring a fair balance to harvest of a natural resource that belongs to all the people and not to a tiny minority.

The WSR cause is a good one that I support. For me, though,it makes no sense whatsoever to close rivers to harvest of wild steelhead by sportsfishers while allowing commercial harvest of the same fish...no sense at all. Until an all encompassing policy can be enforced I agree with the director.

I hate to say it but a successful campaign to change things has to be for US and not for ME.