Elijah,

It is pretty widely accepted that pinniped predation and marine survival are the most likely culprits limiting to PS steelhead. Some years yield excellent survival with a lot of fish returning, others do not. It is incredibly unlikely we will ever be able to harvest wild steelhead ever again, but it is most likely we will have opportunities to fish for them in catch and release seasons. Catching and killing fish is 100% mortality. Catch and release fisheries are a small fraction of 100% mortality and may be the only strategy to allow us any opportunity to fish.

Just because many of us are okay with that and you aren't doesn't mean you get to dictate what should be done. I will take a wild guess that if projections estimated 1 fish over minimum that permitted a fishery, you wouldn't hesitate to get your harvest on.

I'd rather spend my weekends (or weekdays) out on the water having fun instead of watching Football. I support hatcheries and preserving wild fish. You are a hypocrite and are only supportting what suits yourself. Look at yourself. You aren't any different. Since you acknowledge that Salmo knows his stuff, you might want to read where he suggests that the Nisqually be considered for a RMP.


Matt