Originally Posted By: DrifterWA
[quote=bushbear]Fish checkers are not commissioned officers, but are there to gather biological data.


This answers my question.......

Would a person in a boat with fish caught, ever tell a Fish Checker, they caught no fish ????? Yep, been right there when they answered "no fish caught, never saw anyone catch one".......

How many people do this???? I don't know but if there is a correlation to the amount of people that don't turn in their punch cards, then it could be a large ratio......some years about 55% don't turn their cards in.

Page 12 under "You are required to:" last paragraph says "Return your Catch Record Card when you are done fishing or by the date printed on your card even if nothing was caught."

Why doesn't WDFW "higher ups", change this to a fine like with the crab license?????? Would be easy to do, with computer system, no card returned, add fine to license price.....then would have to pay to get new license.

I know they use punch card returns, just like "fish checker" information is used in fishery decisions.

Off my soap box....


WDFW needs to improve the way harvested fish are reported. I think most people are well intentioned but they forget to send it in several months after they're done fishing. I've been guilty of forgetting to send my CRC in more than once, but I've never not reported my big game tags -- probably because it's on my mind to do so at the time.

The ability to quickly report online or with a phone app on the same day fish were harvested would probably result in a much higher reporting rate.