Well, here's my two cents worth on this issue. I'm fairly young (I'm 30 so I'm either old to some of you or a youngin to others) and have been fishing for salmon/steelhead since I was 7. I remember the glory days of the early 70's and the last of them in the early 80's. I have done alot of reading over the years on the hatchery systems and pondered a question. I had remembered reading that hatchery fish weren't necessarily being planted to strengthen run populations perse, but they were planted to give sportsman something to catch to help diviate our attentions from wild fish. Thus, giving nat's a chance to spawn and produce more fish (and stronger fish). I can't remember which person responded above (you'll have to forgive me but the flu is kicking me in the butt and my mind is a bit off) but having hatchery fish spawning with nat's is a bad idea. Most fish in hatcheries aren't from the same genetic strain as the nat's in the same river. If they were, I'd assume if would be great. From articles and talking with WDFW personal at local hatcheries they use a certain genetic strain on most (if not all) hatcheries. Thus, making a cross in the genetics. I know they want so many hatchery fish in the escapement boxes to restock themselves, but for the most part they want the fish caught out of the rivers. I have seen where there is supposedly an escapement box on the Wynoochee and they're REDROPPED excess fish back into the system for sportsmen (and women) to catch again. I may be wrong, but I C & R all nat's to help keep the run strong, but I find NO problem in keeping a hatchery fish. I do love to EAT fish and find nothing wrong in keeping a hatchery fish, which we've all paid for with our taxes. Just my opinion. Tightlines...

------------------