No decline in Lake Ontario other than the DEC reducing the number of planted smolts. The great lakes fishery is a model that the NW should adopt. The fishing in the Great Lakes specifically Lake Ontario is for the sport fishing and is phenomenal. There is no gill netting, tribal netting, no drift nets, no issues with dams, no seals or sealions. The only predator to their salmon and steelhead are the sport fishermen. They have startling returns compared to our 1 – 3% returns for steelhead or salmon smolts.

New York state started their stocking program back in the early 70’s. They spent millions of dollars for their hatchery systems. But the monetary rewards were almost immediate. They reap billions of dollars per year off this fishery. Because the fishery is truly world class, people will travel to experience it. What this means to the local economies is JOBS. These people need to eat, sleep. They will spend their monies by staying at hotels, restaurants, tackle shops, gas, food, licensing etc. You get the picture here, as a fishery becomes more popular , you will need more hotels, restaurants etc which means construction jobs and so forth.

Our legislature here must be in cahoots with the commercial fishery because how could these educated people not see the big picture. Instead of a one time catch and plate fishery which I believe is the case today., we should develop a sport fishery where trophies can be caught more than once. If the commercial fisheries net steelhead, they never get the chance to go back in the sea to develop another year. It’s a one way ticket, the dead fish can never yield anymore pleasure or dollars then just the one time of having it wind up on someone’s plate.

If our local government would put the sport fisherman at the top of the totem pole, we would see a true economic boom. How many out of state (other than NW ) license plates have you seen when you go fishing. NADA! That’s because better fishing can be had elsewhere. Too bad our government caters to the commercial fisheries. New York state is a working model that truly works. I have lived there and go back often to fish their amazing fishery. With all the rivers that the northwest has been blessed with, It’s a shame that we don’t have a better fishery. Make your vote count , and vote for the right person that is truly sincere about changing our fisheries.