On to fishing and Grays Harbor first. At the end of the last setting the QIN were modeled at 16261 for Coho & 5673 for Chinook. Keeping in mind that they pulled for week 40 so Chinook numbers may be back in line as they went way over in week 39. Now the but it looks like they were high on Chinook again in week 41. Coho? They got some but they are not showing as forecast. The QIN modeled for Coho at 12420 this coming week it will really show us what is up.

So to the question why are not the numbers harvested available? Evidently the QIN are not talking to WDF&W again. Rumor has it that several of the tribes are doing this but I do not know for certain. This dance has been going on for some time now so we fly blind. One thing for certain is the 158052 forecast appears to be wayyyyyy off and coming up short. The thing is outside of harvest reporting and monitoring there is few options to determine what is truly going on with the salmon runs in GH. QIN are not talking and WDF&W has done zip to keep track of GH harvest so we do the Russian Roulette bit again. The harvest seasons ( everyone's ) are set off preseason forecast so all will fish to that regardless of the fact it is apparent that the forecast was loony tunes. My guess as of today? About 30% of forecast which is 47415 which gives us around 16000 harvestable not the 126696 modeled.

What does this mean? In GH it appears we are on auto pilot from the agency side and it appears only the QIN know what is going on. When the wailing starts everyone remember that.

Now Willapa. I have resisted getting drawn into this cat fight but it appears that a lot has been going on with the net fisheries. Staff have been doing scale & DNA testing and the numbers are quite a eye opener for some. It has been resulting in restrictions ( reduced days ) on Chinook impacts and again few Coho showing. The research supposedly resulted in additional Chinook impacts allowing additional NT Net time.

So to the question of the changes in available for harvest numbers, nope I do not know. The agency has been getting harvest numbers up on their website and other information but the conversations have been kept inside process with the Willapa Advisers, such as they are and zippo on information from this source also. What about the public who participated in the new policy process and Rec fishers? Gibbs rule 51, staff only reaches out when they want or need something. We the public are just part of their job as in the crafting of the WMP not the implementation. I suggested that they use Steve's contact list from the GH & WMP process just to get the information circulated and that ah, was not well received. As a Rec GH Adviser I can honestly say in many ways in Willapa & GH it is business as usual.

Keep in mind last time a Rec Adviser yipped about accountability ( just happened to be the GH Bay fishery ) staff shut that fishery down. Documents obtained in a PDR request later showed staff had about zero information other than lots of boats. Just happened that lots of boats had few fish caught so everyone is rather tight lipped to avoid a Yogi moment, "Déjà vu all over again"

It is what it is.
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Dazed and confused.............the fog is closing in