Originally Posted By: seastorm
Quote:
but up until now there was agreement between all parties to have all fishing shut down for five years during dam removal.

This is not correct. According to the WDFW Elwha River Fishing Curtailment Summary "LEKT and ONP have reached agreement at the policy level to impose the full fishing moratorium in-river for a period of five years" and "further discussions between the Lower Elwha Tribe, Olympic National Park and WDFW have attempted to define the extent to which fisheries would be curtailed." Additionally, the 2008 Elwha River Fish Restoration Plan states, "In order to encourage recovery, it may be necessary to curtail recreational fisheries in Lake Sutherland." I don't believe that, until now, a decision had been made by WDFW regarding the waters under their jurisdiction.

BTW, this same document also states, "Sockeye salmon in the Elwha River are extinct."


there are other stocks in the elwha at or near extinction. there are almost no pinks or summer steelhead in the lower 5 miles... and yet we're still going to close the lower river and the upriver rainbow fisheries.

you must be proud now that sportfishermen are the ONLY user group fishing in the elwha watershed during the moratorium. the door is opened now for other groups (tribes) to break the moratorium. kudos! times like these i know why the fish are in trouble. no one is willing to make any sacrifice for the fish.

lake sutherland anglers = "me, me, me"

Originally Posted By: seastorm
I would encourage you to read through the Sockeye Salmon Proposed Restoration Approach section (page 81) if you haven't already. This document together with Status of Kokanee Salmon in the Lake Sutherland Basin and Prospects for Sockeye Salmon Restoration provided some of the scientific basis for the Commission's decision.


read it and we just have a serious difference of opinion and see different things from the same document. i see a document that states lake sutherland can support a sockeye population.

the problem is that you require scientific certainty for decision making, and i was willing to give fish a five year chance.

and if you think that lake sutherland fishermen were the only ones being asked to sacrifice, that's a load of crap. the upriver wild trout fishery is arguably the best resident trout fishery on the west side of the cascades and will be shut down for 5 years. the type of fishermen that enjoy that fishery are less selfish and care more about the restoration than lake sutherland fishermen.... you've just proved that.