Sorry guys,I've never gillnetted and never seined.Im a lifelong resident whose been practicing catch and release since long before it was the law.I ran charterboats in Westport 1979-82.Before that I had a troller,so I know a little about lost jobs.The job I have now puts me on the Sound 4 days a week,and I usually sport fish the other 3.The point I was trying to make the other night is,if this inititive should pass,all it will do is shift fish from one net to another.You don't think the tribes will excercise forgone opportunity?Billy Frank Jr. said in the Sept 24 TNT that passage of 696 would result in more fish for the tribes.PR problems in light of ESA listing?Worked real well with the Makah whale hunt.There already is almost zero tribal enforcement of existing laws.Not a week went by last summer when I didnt see unlighted boats with 600' of corkline coming off the bow.THESE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE.I'm tired of calling tribal enforcement offices and being put on hold.It just seems to me,and quite a few other sport fishermen,that 696 is scape-goating an industry that is going down the tubes in this state anyway.We had huge runs up until the early 80's,and a pretty big commercial fleet,too.Then,massive habitat
destruction,human population increase,sea mammal population increases,predatory bird increases,and,of course,unrestricted netting in the rivers,resulted in a continuing decline in salmon and steelhead.I would dearly love to see the fish come back,but this is'nt the way to do it.This is'nt even a start.