LB -
I too am not much of a fan of "safe areas" - just another way of shifting more of the harvestable fish to the commerical side of the ledger./

That is way I thought that assigning a high priroity to the potential increased economic value generated by the recreational fish could be significant. Imagine the increase in economic value (not to mention the quality fishing that would follow) if the Willapa netting returned to the mid September Chinook opening and area 2T was open for significant periods during the rest of the fall.

Not only would the Commerical fleet conitnue to catch fish (though they would generate less value/fish) with the return of a quality small boat marine Chinook fish for a month (early/mid August through mid-September) and increased coho opportunity for the hook and line crowd the total economic value the fish returning from the extensive hatchery programs would increase over current levels.

All it takes is simple shift from a paradigm that emphasis the maximum numbers of dead fish (and full commerical fish boxes) to one where the emphasis is managing the various fisheries to yield the best economic return.

TJ -
Have to wonder what Commissioner Carpenter thinks about such a paradigm shift in the yardstick used to determine resource allocations? Of course such decision at likely well down the road.

Tight lines
Curt