Nice troll Oregonian:

Let me ask you a question. When there was no commercial harvest of Columbia River springers did those high end restaurants (of which few are in Washington or Oregon) go out of business? If in 2011 there is no commercial fishery on that resource what would happen to those restaurants? I suggest that they would simply modify their menus accordingly and their patrons would select another high end offering. In short, little impact to their overall revenues.

Making broad statements is an invitation for attack but I will risk it here. Where there is a limited resource that has both a commercial and sport activity the sport fishery has the greater value to the economy on a per pound basis. It is true on the Columbia River springer fishery, on halibut off the coast of Washington and Oregon, and on Dungeness crab in Puget Sound (and I am sure there are many others I have not mentioned).

As for outside money versus local money the best situation is a strong recreational fishery that retains as much local money as possible while providing a strong incentive for outside money to flow into the local economy.

There is undeniably a strong pent up demand for close-in recreational fisheries. One only needs to look at the recreational boats on the Columbia when there is a springer season or at Buoy 10 in the fall. Or 2009 when there was a strong run of pinks into Puget Sound, or when there is a Lake Washington fishery for reds. Pretty obvious reality!

So, what was your point?