Originally Posted By: Salman
Leave it to some dude who sits in a room all day listening to peoples arguments to make the decision, he knows best or rather nothing but what is given to him yet he gets to make the decision. Using native stock from the river for the hatchery sounds like a better idea than using non-native stock for the hatchery. I wonder if the Chambers Creek fans are opponents of this?


I'm not speaking as a chamber's fan, because I'm not a fan of the stock. Most with any understanding would prefer the ability to use native fish for broodstock. This would be the logical approach for improving survival and opportunity.

However, this will never happen until PS steelhead get de-listed. The only likely justification for such a program currently would fall under recovery status which would limit or eliminate the harvest of the hatchery component in the first place. PS steelhead populations do not warrant a hatchery-based recovery plan in any shape or form for obvious reasons, except for some notable ongoing exceptions. Even if there was a way to find a way to convince the feds that a broodstock program is warranted and they agreed for some reason, there simply isn't any desire for this from WDFW or the tribes in the first place.

Unfortunately, it's use chamber's steelhead or nothing. I'll speak for many when I say I'd prefer to use a crappy stock than nothing at all.