Steve,

Interesting topic. I'm not sure I can offer any relevant info here, other than what I've scoured from various articles (in fishing mags, of course) relating to the subject. The stuff I've read says this "dilution" of wild fish genes through interbreeding with hatchery fish is minimal. The specific article I'm referring to looked at studies from the Kalama river, which has had native and hatchery fish in it's waters at the same time for many years. The genetic material of native fish from the river were nearly intact, with very little mixing of hatchery fish genetic material in with wild stocks.

The issue that WAS raised was the competition between native smolts and those of hatchery origin. Thsi issue is harder to address since you can time the adult runs by using different strains of fish (like the late Nov. fish they plant in the Bogie) , but it's much more difficult to prevent competition between the smolts.

The gene mixing accomplished by "broodstocking" like they do on the Sol Duc, Quinault, and Satsop is only good if the hatchery conditions are good. I think our hatcheries have a long way to go in raising smolts that have better survivability in a river environment. It's no surprise that a fish raised in a concrete pond and fed pellets would have trouble making it in comparision to a smolt that emerged from the gravel and fended for itself. It's like sending a kid from the Charles Wright Academy to school in Harlem. Chances are he's not going to last long.

In regards to the Cowlitz, I'm going to have to side with the hatchery proponents. Sure it's nice to see a possible return of nates into its upper stretches, but at what cost. Can't they just accept that this river has become the C&K capitol of Washington. It's a guide river, a sled river, a dammed river, a place you can catch fish and keep it. Can't they just realize that this river isn't the best candidate for restoring? I mean, how much restoration is being planned?

I regret not having attended the meeting, as I'm still unclear about what is being planned for the Cowlitz. I just think they could find a better candidate. No hatchery fishy fish on the Cow. will definitely increase pressure on rivers like the Kalama, Nooch, Sky and others which have harvestable fish. I say keep them on the Cowlitz, it's big enough to ahndle pressure like that, those other rivers aren't. I could see a big success story for the Cowlitz turning into the failure of other rivers which succumbed to the increased pressure.

Sorry, Salmo g. , I think it's great to see some nates returning to the Cowlitz, but if this restoration is used as a catalyst to end the Cowlitz hatchery program, I think that's going too far. I say this still being ignorant of all the facts, though. But this BB seems a pretty good place to find things out. I'll keep my eye on this post.


Fish on.........