I wonder what would happen if hatcheries on Chambers Creek, Minter Creek, and the Dechutes (most likely raised at Coulter Creek) quit reproducing fish in the South Sound? Hell... would we even have a fishery? Thankfully the Squax's have some returning fish. Where would the natives fish then? Granted they are terminal fisheries, but....

To use the term "surplus" is absolute BS when 50 or 60-years ago I could have quite possibly agreed with the word "surplus" except for resident chinook. Think of the numbers 40-years beyond that!

What were the escapement goals in the 70's when Minter Creek release over 10M chinook? What are they now? White River chinook....? 500?

In the early 70's when I first started fishing in the rivers for salmon/steelhead, the Green was the number one river in the State (Puyallup was number two). What happened? Urban Sprawl? Nutrients? Ocean conditions? (Puke- Jack Daniels and Pepperoni pizza with heavy sauce and residual hanging in the nasal cavity). I have to believe nets were the first contributor!
I don't think it even possible for the numbers of fish caught to drop that fast in the late 70's without nets making an impact.

I have a hard time believing all the brain power at state level can state, "We can't do this or that" yet not say , we can do this...." The only example I can even recall of "If we do this" was Frank Haw and his vision for the blackmouth program. Bless you Frank Haw! Here's another example... anyone know where the new net pens for the blackmouth program will be after Percevial are pulled? Either does WDFW- after some 50-plus emails!

Pull all nets for a few years... Then let's sit down and discuss forecast models, ocean conditions, urban sprawl, and nutrients. I am positive I would hear, "We can't do that" instead of, "we should do this!"

If we have so much surplus then our seasons should be extended to grant us an equal share!