Anyone interested in reading about an observer on a commercial boats harvest on the Columbia River this last season should read : "The Reel News" latest edition available in G.I.joes or most local fishing stores. The article was by a gentleman who was on board a commercial boat during (1), 12hr. Netting period. That is (1). I was apalled by what he saw going in the box on the boat. Just a recap of what he saw were as follows: during a 12hr period : steelhead,9 dead out of 9, 4 of which were wild. sturgeon 2 dead out of 8. coho caught 113 of which 35% to 45% were unmarked , 10 were close to 20lbs. chinook caught were 6 . 1,190 pounds of fish were landed. Mortality rate for steelhead was 100%, all of the coho were thrown in the box including all unmarked fish. and 25% of the sturgeon floatedaway dead. The observer goes on to say he finds it remarkable this fishery is still in existence!! And this was just (1) commercial boat out of how many ? 175 to 200 boats commercial or more? in one 12hr. period. Its no wonder the steelhead and salmon are having a tuff time. It seems the commercials take what ever they can get in the nets no matter what the cost. Maybe thats why they dont want observers on board their boats . They dont want anyone checking their catches to see what really goes on. Go read it for yourselves and get the latst edition of " The Reel News" at you local tackle shops .