I think that's certainly true, but the question I'm asking is why it's somehow okay to kill endangered fish (North River stock, if any still exist), or fish that are chronically underescaped (Chehalis Chinook and Humptulips NOR Coho) ANYWHERE.

I suppose for wild Coho, as a whole, this rule change will have a net benefit. For underescaped or even endangered fish, it's another fin in the grave.

Of course, whatever dies in the WA coastal fisheries is a drop in the bucket compared to what gets harvested off Alaska and BC, but I'm not sure we should let that be justification for joining in on the blood bath.

I'm convinced that open ocean fisheries are the number one limiting factor in salmon conservation. Whether you're talking about harvest or habitat, or anything besides blocked fish passage, it all comes down to not enough fish on the gravel at some point. Ever notice the few places that still have decent runs of wild steelhead also have healthy runs of salmon? Maybe there's something to that....