I think you have covered most of the bases. But one item that was unclear is the difference between true native and wild hatchery fish. There is a genetic difference, but most people can't tell the difference, me included. I'm not a biologist. I believe the hatcheries should start mixing in some true nates with the brats. This will help strenghten the gene pool. I do believe, like you, that there are not very many true nates left. Too many years of inbreeding and overfishing. I honestly think it is too late to save any native run of either salmon or steelhead. Our biggest problem was that everyone was screaming MORE FISH, MORE FISH! Instead of trying to save the runs. It is almost still that way. Now we have the feds saying STOP, need more runs. Too late. I think nothing will be solved until the feds finally say ENOUGH, NO MORE FISHING! PERIOD. No nets, sport, or commercial tribal. They will let the tribes take some fish for their rites and the like. Since I have pretty much said the same as you, I will quit rambling. But I have a question. How do we know what the pure strain of fish in a river is? When did the states take DNA samples to always have it. I think any state could go out, catch a "wild" fish, and still not have the true nate. It would have niether true native, hatchery, or cross breed. Just because of the crappy way everything was done.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!