Just when you thought things were heading our way from a management perspective, here comes the PSRCP (Puget Sound Rockfish Recovery Plan).

Last nights Mill Creek public input meeting was not very well attended but the list of speakers was interesting....

The final "public" speaker of the night was none other than F&W COMMISSIONER, David Jennings.

Since when do Wildlife Commissioners testify as private citizens?

Are the Commissioners not part of an impartial governing body that heavily influences decisions by the WDFW Director???

It was an evening of public testimony calling many facets of the rockfish plan into question. Suddenly, here comes a "Commish" who not only supports restrictions on the recreational fishery and the creation of MPA's or "Marine Protected Areas" (no fishing zones) but Jennings went so far as to belittle others who testified before him!

Hey Salmon anglers!!!!
We are looking at gear restrictions, depth restrictions and with the MPA's, area restrictions as well...
Not to protect salmon, but to reduce the impact on rockfish!

I sincerely want to see the return of healthy numbers of rockfish but when you consider pollution, bottom dragging, derilict gear, underwater dredging, cables, pipelines and marine mammal predation, the recreational inpact numbers are a very small portion of the total mortality.

Yet again, recreational fishing is seen as "low hanging fruit" that must be eliminated to simply "Do something" about a problem that the sportfishing fleet did not cause.

Check out Robbie Tobecks blog Time to Act is NOW!!!

If we do not get involved with this rockfish issue, all of us salmon anglers will pay a very dear price...our opportunity!