Smalma, Here is another question and something I believe the WDFW does not take into account regarding the mangement of the Q , Hoh and other consider "healthy" coastal wild steelhead stocks- Please read the brief from the testimony provided by Dick and Nate below:

Dick Burge, WSC VP Conservation and Nate Mantua, VP of Science and Education provided the State of Steelhead Resource and Biological Diversity. Dick and Nate provided compelling and sound scientific reasons for protecting of biodiversity and run timing in steelhead waters. They also provided evidence from the first years landing data since the 5 fish limit was instituted that this new limit has not reduced the kill of wild fish. As example, while the Quillayute escapement was declining from 12,500 to 11,200 fish last season, the sport kill increased from 1790 to 1930 wild steelhead. Anecdotal observations suggest sport fishers and guide trips have increased considerably following the closure of the other Washington and Oregon areas and are taking more wild fish. The reduced limit regulation in this case has not effected the reduction of the overall kill rate of wild steelhead and in fact the rate has gone up! Dick and Nate again presented the Commission and WDFW Director a copy of the WSC paper entitled Biological and Economic Effects of Wild Steelhead Release.

Again....Anecdotal observations suggest sport fishers and guide trips have increased considerably following the closure of the other Washington and Oregon areas and are taking more wild fish.

Does the WDFW takes this into account? Since these are considered the only streams "healthy" to allow harvest we are simply putting more anglers and more kill pressure on wild steelhead stocks?

This added pressure is also, in my opinion, bringing down the quality of the angling experience, creating a increased competitive/nonsportsman like atmosphere.

Shouldn't angling pressure also become part of the equation? I also personally don't believe that the punch card data on these streams is terribly reliable, I hear of a lot of " cheating" going on, but I lack a better suggestion for recording the data.