Originally Posted By: Krijack
I realize this year was an anomaly, but with literally millions of dollars on the table, is seems that this should be the push to get a good forecasting system going. Some things that would make sense would to be to use creel sampling in Alaska and Canada and gather scale samples to compare to an established DNA base. By using multiple locations through out the range area, I believe we could eventually get a good data base that would show a relationship between the number of fish in a given harvest and the overall expected run numbers. I know they used microchips in marked fish in the past. Could this technology be used in larger numbers if DNA did not work?


With all of the modeling data out there and Cray capability someone (NOAA under Commerce?) should be able to perform some estimates with an acceptable statistical reliability factor. They might even be able to fund it under Chinook ESA research/management.

Now, as far as the professed lack of in season data where we aren't able to fish and, therefore, there is no data being generated - well, is that totally accurate? Are the WDFW's hook and line test fishers precluded from fishing? Does WDFW have other tools available to them? As much as I try to stay away from "I was told" stories here is one: I was told that WDFW had a purse seiner out of Gig Harbor run some catch and release sets and found huge numbers of silvers in mid-Sound. Maybe something to ask about......
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