I sent a note to the WDFW several weeks ago protesting the nets in the Columbia. This is their response. It's clear (to me at least) that they just don't get it!

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November 2, 2000

Dear Mr. Smith:

Thank you for you inquiry to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) regarding your concerns of the nets in the Columbia River.

The commercial fishing season in the Columbia River has been scheduled to go from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. October 23, and then from 7:00 a.m. October 24 through 7:00 p.m. October 27. There will be another Compact meeting set for October 27 to discuss whether there will be any further openings.

As for recreational fisheries, the sport fishery in the Columbia River is open 7 days/week. In the Washington tributaries, coho fishing is open 7 days/week and in certain areas the bag limit has been increased to allow for up to 6 adult coho per day. Those areas are the Lewis, Cowlitz, and Toutle rivers. Additionally, several thousand coho have been put upstream in the Cowlitz River above the Barrier Dam to provide additional opportunity in the upper Cowlitz. Overall, coho fishing in the Washington tributaries has been very good this year with some days producing a coho per angler.

WDFW is tasked with providing both commercial and recreational opportunity to the fishers, including ocean fishing opportunities. The sharing of the Columbia River coho must be viewed in terms of both ocean and in-river fisheries, and for recreational, commercial, and treaty Indian fishers.

Thank you for your interest in Washington State fisheries.

Sincerely,
Fish Program

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I just heard that nets are being allowed back in the Columbia for another week - Monday thru Friday. Is this true? If so, I've had it. I've fished in S.W. Washington for most of my life. When the nets go in, fishing shuts down until 3 days after they're out. Letting them fish Monday thru Friday, and then pulling the nets Saturday and Sunday, only wipes out the fish for the sportsmen on weekends, and allows the nets to go back in when the fish have begin to fill the system up again. When will the resource be shared equally?! It's time for nets to be banned from all Washington rivers!