Originally Posted By: RICH G
Salmo,

Maybe when you are in Oregon or BC fishing for salmon, you can brag how you collect a nice retirement from managing Washington stocks into oblivion. Then you can tell them that its not your fault because the law made you do it..... But you sure have a nice retirement and some nice stuff that you can use to fish in other states.


So, the real issue here is that you are jealous and/or resentful. Sad to the point of being pathetic.

By the way, NOAA does not "manage" Washington fish stocks. Rather, It does assess and issue permits for fisheries that may impact ESA listed fish. And if you don't believe that habitat (from water pollution to in stream spawning conditions to marine smolt and adult survival) is a limiting factor to recovery of wild salmon and steelhead to historic levels then you are delusional. Is habitat the only adverse impact? No. Clearly harvest and predation also affect recovery.

But, frankly, the various agencies tend to function within the various (and numerous) laws issued by the Federal Congress as well as the State. And then there are the Federal treaties and court decisions. Don't like the laws? Then get them changed. And be sure to participate in the rule making process established by the existing laws.

I know that Salmo G is a big boy and is more than capable of defending himself but I take extreme exception to your making him (or anyone else) the personal scapegoat for what is a complex situation decades in the making.
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