I swear, fisheries biologists are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Transfer surplus Bogey hatchery brood to Puget Sound seems reasonable until you consider why they don't. WDFW (formerly WDG) was criticized for the antiquated practice of transfering Chambers Creek steelhead all over western Washington, ignoring the genetic implications. WDFW, trying to improve its fish management act, has been developing locally adapted hatchery broodstocks at the recommendation of many fish biologists, geneticists, AND sportsmen. This means the Bogey hatchery broodstock stays on the coast, SW Washington broodstock stays in SW Washington, and Puget Sound broodstock stays in Puget Sound. Even more so, they are trying to maintain separate Skagit, Snohomish, Green, and Puyallup broodstocks so they aren't required to dip in to the Chambers Creek fish every year like they used to. In effect, the experts and the sportsmen have said that a brat is not a brat is not a brat - that they are different in different watersheds. In order to comply with this management policy, they have to get broodstock returns at all those stations intended to receive broodstock. You have choices. You can harvest those returns when they are in short supply and forego the egg take and subsequent hatchery smolt production that I'm sure you would be back here on the BB complaining about. Or, you can forego the harvest to ensure the egg take. But in years of short supply, you just can't have it both ways. Should WDFW always have a vote on which way to go before taking a management action to obtain hatchery broodstock?

Sincerely,

Salmo g.