Skyrise,

Nets haven't been legally targeting HC wild steelhead for years. That's not to say they didn't, or that they did too much for too long, but that can't be undone now. The only fishing targeting those fish these days is illegal fishing, whether it's with nets or hook and line. Why didn't WDFW close it to steelhead net fishing earlier? Because they couldn't, should they have wanted to. If the treaty co-managers thought there were sufficient fish to target for harvest, then they could do so, even if they were wrong. Tribes cannot be stopped from fishing by the state until there is hard evidence (different from emotional ranting evidence provided by sport fishermen) that a fish run is literally up against the ropes of extirpation. That evidence became available, and the tribes stopped netting the wild HC runs.

We won't know for a couple life cycles at least whether the current steelhead rescue efforts are going to succeed. But the agencies and tribes are cooperating to give it the best chance possible.

Sg