As most already know the commercial fishers on the Columbia River are getting a higher percentage of the Springer quota this year.

Read the following and hope it doesnt make you as sick as it does me!

In order to obtain this commercial fishery WDF&W has applied to NOAA Fisheries to triple their mortalities on wild steelhead, a precious game fish listed as endangered. The current cap is 2%, the application is for a 5-7% cap. (over the last three years the fishery has had nearly 2:1 bycatch of wild steelhead and salmon!)

Since the commercial release mortalities are nearly twice as high as sport caught for salmon (18.5 compared to 10) there will be more hatchery fish WASTED (or on spawning beds) if we don't fully prosecute the sportfishery. In other words, the sportfishery will kill 1/2 as many wild spring chinook for the same amount of hatchery fish. Incidentally, there are few steelhead caught by the recreational fleet during the spring chinook fishery.

Write your legislators and comission now!