What I'm saying is that it costs nothing to open a river. Just say its open. That's it. That's all it takes. Studies, monitoring, enforcement et al. is job justification and NOT required. ESA or not. Are they around "monitoring" when tribes are netting the crap out of ESA listed fish? Nope - they're nowhere to be found. It's not a requirement, it's a "nice to have" for job justification.

For example, there is exactly ONE WDFW officer for all of Whidbey Island. The largest Island in the US. Do they shut down deer hunting on the Island because of that? No, they do not. Can he be everywhere at the same time "monitoring" all of the hunters? No, he cannot. The show goes on with or without them around. Why would this be any different?

It's just excuses, excuses, excuses all the time.