Well SG if you do not have the preseason numbers yell BUT this is the thing. All paper fish will die and any proposal that does not breach the principles of protecting escapement AND maximizing the sport catch is a go. The NT Nets can go pound nails ( or anything else they care to ) as this year the average citizen will be represented. So unless you show me where this harvests into harmful territory for the fish, then the in river sports gets them.

Below is the principals we expressed to R-6.


Mr. -------,

This letter represents the concerns of a group of volunteers that is working on the issue of disparity in the allocation of the non tribal salmon fishery in the Chehalis Basin. Our proposed Chehalis Basin in-river sports season for the 2012 seasons is attached. We realize that the number of salmon available for harvest is yet to be finalized, but feel this is a valid proposal based upon current expectations of run size.

Three basic premises helped us arrive at our proposal. First, is the season setting process known as North of Falcon. WDF&W allows for some public input, but it is dominated by groups and individuals who push for particular fisheries. The average citizen who simply purchases a license and fishes with their family, does not follow this process as they have families and jobs that are priorities. What they do have a right to, is a reasonable expectation that WDF&W will look out for the average citizen and not just pander to special interest and those of means.

Second, South Monte ( West end of Rainy Island to Highway 107 Bridge ) is known as the premiere tide water fishery in Coastal Washington as it does not take a lot of skill to be successful. With a small boat or spot on the bank from Junction City downstream, rod & simple tackle, a family could go fishing with reasonable expectation of success. It is the primary reach of water in the Chehalis Basin that the average local citizen and families utilize for recreational salmon fishing and is the highest priority.

Third, any Salmon identified available for harvest to the non treaty allocation be allocated first to the recreational sport fishery from the West End of Rainy Island upstream. If additional impacts are allowable then it would be possible to add the bay sport fishery. Non treaty commercial fisheries should only be in place when they will not adversely affect the recreational fishery for the average citizen. NOF is not the correct venue for conservation issues raised by individuals and organizations regarding salmon identified available for harvest by PFMC, QIN, and WDF&W.

As we reviewed our proposal the Grays Harbor Management Plan was discussed. Even with the fact that we are still waiting for WDF&W to provide our work group information on the plan, some things are abundantly clear. The recreational fisheries are restricted by it and expected to conform to it, but this does not appear to be the case for other fisheries. Information on the WDF&W website show Chehalis Chum had a harvestable number of 700 in 2011 and no recreational harvest, yet the non tribal commercial fishery harvested 2109 and tribal fisheries 13,184. The number of Chinook available for harvest in 2011 was 817 with non tribal share being 409 and no recreational retention. You have yet to provide the non treaty commercial impact information we requested but it would appear the non tribal commercial impacts were much greater than 409 as the tribal harvest was 5104.

The uneven burden of so called conservation goals on the recreational fishery needs to be addressed, we feel our proposal does just that.