Aunty,

If NOAA F approves WDFW's & ODFW's request, I don't assume that will increase the allowable sport fishing impact any. The reason they are requesting the higher impact is so the commercial gillnetters can get more days on the river and increase their catch of hatchery spring chinook.

If NOAA F approves the request, all sport fishing interests should lobby the dickens out of the WDFW Commission to hold to the old 2% impact level. The sport impact on listed winter steelhead in the Columbia is extremely low, maybe 0.1 to 0.2%

Sincerely,

Salmo g.