Originally Posted By: Salmo g.

Sadly, after last year's experience with Region 6, with every sport fisherman in the room agreeing that the paltry few chum forecast above escapement (between 300 and 400 I think) should be allowed to escape, DrifterWA is right. The error bound of the runsize forecast was larger than the estimated runsize. Still if Region 6 can twist the interpretation in any way to allow more gillnet days, and more impacts to under-escaped stocks, they will do it, because that's exactly what they did.

Sg


Perception is reality....

But in the agency's defense, I should set the record straight here.

There were harvestable chum last year ... NON-treaty share = 6335. (I believe the 300-400 fish SG referred to was the "harvestable" spring chinook.)

Yes, we did say let the rec share go to the gravel. But let's be clear here.... doing so DID NOT allow more gillnet days in 2A/2D.

We could have asserted our right to take those fish, but it would NOT have made a difference in the number of gillnet days.

We spent less than half of the available chum in the forecast on the gillnets. Without rec claiming theirs, there were actually enough chum to fuel another 3 days of netting. But that didn't happen. The limiter was NOT available chum (there were plenty), but instead having the fishery slam up against a chinook impact cap of 5%.
_________________________
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The Keen Eye MD
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