Both the 1,500 sockeye allowance for natural spawning escapement goal and the showing of the number of sockeye taken to Baker Lake on the department's web site were a result of suggestions by stakeholders. Because the department placed constraints on the Baker Lake sport fisheries and other factors, anglers typically have only been able to harvest 55% or less of the sockeye released into the lake, thus leaving nearly 8,000 sockeye for natural spawning in each of several years (2011 and 2012). What Tony Bakke and Frank Urabeck attempted to do at the January 31 workshop with their comprehensive proposal for a new management approach for 2015 was to improve fairness and equity in the harvest split for both treaty and non-treaty fishers -- in 2014 the tribes secured nearly 80% of the harvested sockeye -- and to allow recreational anglers to harvest a higher percent of their allowable catch. The buffer concept -- an adaption of that used for Columbia River spring Chinook harvest management -- is worth discussing with the tribes. If tribes reject the idea, so be it. At least we have tried something new. Buffers can only work where there is capability for in-season updates (ISUs). That requires facilities like the Ballard Locks and the Baker River trap at Concrete where sockeye can be counted. Buffers can not be used in regular Puget Sound fisheries as there are
no viable means for an ISU for these.

The B/U proposal of allowing 20% of the recreational share of harvestable sockeye to be available for Skagit River sport fishing makes good sense. Using a possible 2015 pre-season run forecast of 60,000 sockeye would result in a little over 5,000 sockeye for a quota river fishery and more than 20,000 sockeye released into Baker Lake -- if the run came in at or above the forecast. In 2012 harvest by the sport fishery amounted to 3,064 sockeye on a run of 48,846, with 17,509 released into Baker Lake.

Clearly, stakeholders are seeking to collaborate with the department to improve the Baker sockeye recreational fisheries. The two workshops (November 1 and January 31) came about because of stakeholder demands as the media has reported. Stakeholders are even trying to secure additional funds to support an expanded creel census to make the quota fishery work. Right now the Baker fishery is a slimmed down substitution for the fabulous and very popular Lake Washington fishery that last took place in 2006. Baker sockeye is the only game in town for the Puget Sound Region this year. Let's make the most of it. Stay tuned. This is still a work in progress.