Yesterday I and a few friends fished the big C above the bridge. The rules require the release of wild coho. We did as required and released three or four wild coho. We did our very best to leave them in the water and handle them as gently as possible. Even so I'm sure we killed at least one of those fish that was hooked in the gills and another that I believe a seal ate after we released it. I have talked to other guys who said they had released as many as five wild fish in one day. No doubt a decent proportion of those die. In my experience choc just entering the river are very fragile fish. I am certain the mortality is high. Wouldn't it make more sense to simply require that we keep the first two landed regardless of hatchery or wild origin? What do you think?

I understand that this would limit the fishing experience many days, but I think it would make more sense the wasting a wild fish that will likely die anyway.