Lunch Time -
Don't have the figures in front of me (on the Sound today looking for halibut/lings). However recall that the Total chum run in 1997 turned out to be less than 15,000 fish. One of the reasons that sport % of the catch was so high - the commercial seasons were closed for chums and the harvest was just those caught incidental in other fisheries. Thus the 1997 average is revalent to the discussion.

The reason I feel that there should not be a sport fishery when the runs is low is the same reason I feel there should not be commercial seasons. What is the point of having escapement goals if the managers aren't at least attempt to manage for them?

While I understand the value of the sport fishery and not having a season represent a loss. However that is not good enough reason for me. If you use that logic the not-treaty gill netters would argue that they should have a 2 week season every year on the spring chinook so they can remain economically viable. We would get the same from the Puget Sound purse seiners, tribal fishers and guides. When the economic value of those fisheries is put ahead of the fishes need we will soon have darn few fish over which to argue.

Don't see any need to address your other post in more detail.

Johnny -
did not intent to lump you with WSC. It was my understanding in my conversations with you that required your cilents to release all wild steelhead regardless of whether it was legal to keep them or not. If I mis understood my apologies. If my understanding was correct then I'll stand by my statement.

Tight lines
S malma