I agree that this suit will provide WFC and their allies with another tool with which to hammer Puget Sound steelhead hatchery programs to near extinction!

SG -

While WDFW and NOAA may not want to eliminate PS steelhead hatchery programs their collective foot dragging and in attention have worked to the point that such a result is probable. I guess the larger question is once the dust settles would WDFW attempt to restart some sort of replace hatchery programs? I think not.

CM -
To recover salmon populations to the point that we might see anything close to the numbers of spawning salmon that you say recovery needs massive improvements will be needed to support those numbers. Currently the habitat is so trashed that the productivity of those fish that depend on freshwater rearing for any extend to time is severely compromised. Even when the region gets "lucky" with those less dependent on that freshwater habitats (pinks) the rivers have been so changed that those abundant carcasses (rivers like the Snohomish and other rivers have had escapements of between 1 and 2 million) are not retained within the rivers for any length of time. They quickly get flushed out of the rivers or deposited at the upper limits of floodways. Until the river flooding/flushing frequencies are stabilized and channel complexities restored (to capture and retain the carcasses) it will be hard for the ecosystem (at least within the river) to take advantage of those nutrients.

Yes it is hard to understand the foot dragging to produce recovery plans or even to designate critical habitats the harsh reality is that even once complete there will likely be little improvements in the habitat arena. PS steelhead and bull trout will soon be "celebrating" 20 years of ESA listing and the status of those fish suggest that little has been done to improve their lot. In the habitat arena any steelhead recovery plan will provide little addition protection that is not all ready in place with the Chinook and bull trout recovery plans and existing HCPs. In fact the PS steelhead listing decision excluded the one single positive step that could be taken under ESA by excluding the resident form of O. mykiss from the listing.

Any substantial habitat recovery will require both time (decades/centuries) and massive reduction of the human population in the region. Any volunteers to reduce your salmonids impact footprint by leaving the region? While recent actions with Puget Sound steelhead may actually succeed in forcing steelhead anglers to leave the region those support activities that are directing the bulk of habitat past and future impacts are likely to remain.

I'm sadden by what my grandchildren have lost!

Curt