Question: Could closing of the Green River to fishing actually hurt native fish populations MORE in the long run than leaving it open???

Seeing how WDFW's managment practices are to prevent hatchery/native fish interactions in many systems throughout the state, through regulations like mandatory retention of adipose clipped steelhead (Methow River). I find it interesting that WDFW would close a river, which has a good number of hatchery fish currently residing in it, inorder to protect the native fish. My reasoning below.

The upper Green River this year it has been good (compared to some years in recent past) for hatchery summers and so far good for hatchery winter fish as well. I have seen several limits hauled out and caught quite a few myself. Those hatchery fish tend to hang out in the upper Green through the month of February. Last year I witnessed several hatchery fish landed on the last week of the season. I believe this year returns are BETTER than last year, as far as hatchery fish to the upper river (several of you who fish the upper Green can verify the river is better than many have been led to believe).
Since the river is closing, the remaining hatchery fish will not be caught and removed from the system like they would normally if the season was open. Those hatchery fish will spawn with the native fish, and we all know that when a hatchery and wild fish spawn together the fecundity rate is low low..if not zero. Thus if a good number of hatchery fish spawn with or compete with the few returning natives this year, the recruitment from this years native spawners will be low and potentially of poor genetic integrity(reasoning behind mandatory hatchery fish retention on the Methow)

My ultimate point is that if the river is closed and the hatchery fish(which ARE in the system) are NOT removed via catch/fisherman, it will create a larger overall impact on future escapement #'s of native fish, than the total impact of catch & release mortality if the river had been allowed to stay open. Additionally C&R mortality could also be reduced further if WDFW made a rule change to selective gear rules.

IMO, it would meet the needs of both the fisherman and the native fish much better than closing the system.