Many have asked what do I think about the Willapa Management Plan effort underway. Well a bit chaotic is a understatement and additionally so far the public has had little input into the process at this point. I admit it can be, is, and will continue to be confusing to most. WDF&W staff have attempted to get information out ( a lot of it ) but I do not think they fully understood how to make it understandable to the average citizen.

Below is my view of a modified 1B for all to look at and think about / kick the crap out of / use as a starting point.


Highly Modified Option 1B

Synopsis:

• Shift primary Chinook designation from Naselle River to Willapa River
• Shift Chinook production from Forks Creek Hatchery to Naselle Hatchery
• Time and area priorities per guidance
• Commercial fisheries begin 10/1
• Commercial limited to only 2 days per week in 2T and 2U beginning 10/1
• No directed commercial chum fisheries until spawner goal achieved three out of five years. ( beginning 2010)


Policy Component Proposal
Species Priority • Chinook: Recreational priority with no commercial fishery through October 1.
• Coho, Chum: Commercial priority.
Area Priority • Areas 2T, 2U: Recreational priority with no commercial fishery through October 1;
• WDFW-managed commercial gillnet fisheries in the aggregate area areas 2T, 2U,2M, 2N, 2R & 2P shall be scheduled, if possible, so that in any given calendar week there are a minimum of five consecutive days when no state-managed commercial fisheries occur.
• Areas 2M, 2N, 2R & 2P: Commercial fisheries after October 1 scheduled to meet conservation objectives.
Chinook Primary Populations Willapa River & North River
Hatchery Production Hatchery Chinook Coho Chum
Forks 0.4M
0.3M 0.3M
Nemah 3.3M - 0.3M
Naselle 3.3M
1.4M 0.3M
Chum Streamside Incubation Boxes 200,000 (current)

Chum Fishery Management No commercial fisheries Oct. 15-31 until spawner goal achieved 2 consecutive years. If the number of natural-origin spawners was less than the goal in 3 out of the last 5 years (beginning in 2010), the Department shall implement the following measures:
a) The predicted fishery impact for Chum in WDFW-managed fisheries in the Willapa Harbor & tributary streams will not exceed 5% of the adult return to Willapa Harbor.