JJ,
You summarized the current state of the steelhead system as "not working" and you are 100% correct. WFC called WDFW and the feds out on not having the correct permits in place and they legally caused a management tactic to inherently help save the native steel. In doing so, a lot of fisherman are pissed because of the way it all went down. If you have lived in WA very long you know the states track record of closing and forgetting about waters. This is another step in that direction... If the state, tribes,and conservation groups all got together along time ago and ironed out a solution then we would probably have a decent hatchery system in place with minimal impact on native steel.