Originally Posted By: Salmo g.
Just a couple of thoughts . . .

Are wild coho expected to be in the area in any abundance? I'm guessing not since Willapa has traditionally been managed as a hatchery wipe out fishery with little to no regard to wild salmon.

I think the gillnet boat will have to fish very tight to the mouth of the Nemah, rather than the broader limit of Needle Point to Ramsey Point if they actually intend to avoid wild Naselle chinook. I don't have a WB chart, but chinook would be expected to hug the edge of the thalweg channel which could lie inside the specified fishing boundary line.

Then there is this over-riding thought: WDFW needs to come to terms with a long-term management outlook for WB. Having it both ways - hatchery wipe out and wild stock preservation - is mutually exclusive. Keep with tradition, managing for hatchery stocks and end up with ESA listings, or actually manage for wild stocks, where hatchery fish supplement harvestable numbers, rather than replace wild fish. Pretending they can split the baby and have it survive is delusional.

Sg


I nominate Salmo

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
September 10, 2014
Contact: Steve Thiesfeld, (360) 249-1201
WDFW seeks nominations to new
Willapa Bay salmon advisory group
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking nominations through Sept. 22 for membership on a new ad hoc advisory group that will assist in developing a draft policy for managing salmon in Willapa Bay.
Up to five qualified individuals will be chosen to serve on the new policy group, which will also include the current members of the existing Willapa Bay salmon management advisory group.
The new salmon policy advisory group will meet three times a month for the next five months to develop recommendations that support conservation objectives and improve sustainable salmon fishing opportunities in Willapa Bay.
Specific issues addressed in the policy will include management objectives for salmon stocks, fishing season structures, and sharing of fishing opportunities between the recreational and commercial fleets.
"We'd like to establish a group of new and current advisors to make sure we have a broad range of expertise and experience as we develop this policy," said Jim Scott, assistant director of WDFW's Fish Program. "This is an important step forward in our effort to further refine the management of fisheries and hatcheries to help ensure we meet conservation objectives for wild salmon populations."
Nominees for the policy advisory group do not have to be affiliated with an organized group. Nominations must be submitted in writing with the following information:
• Nominee's name, address, telephone number and email address.
• Relevant experience and reasons for wanting to serve as a member of the advisory group.
• Nominee's effectiveness in communication.
• Name and contact information for any individual or organization submitting a nomination.
Nominations must be received by Sept. 22. Nominations may be submitted to Cathy Davidson by mail: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA, 98501; or email at Cathy.Davidson@dfw.wa.gov . For more information, contact Steve Thiesfeld at (360) 249-1201.