It's interesting how you reject how Policy dictates how this fishery is prosecuted. As Rivrguy likes to say, it is what it is. Like it or not, that's the baseline schematic for operating the fishery.

But 2018 also presented unique challenges. North migrating chinook stocks were depressed everywhere... and WB was no exception. Marine area catches were dismal, and the real-time returns to the hatchery racks in-season were lagging significantly.... even after the first 2 rain events of September.

Even though staff knew some undetermined number of fish had already escaped the marine area and were staging in the lower tidewater sections of the WB tribs, they were NOT confident in just how many.... so the precautionary approach ruled the day to help ensure there would be sufficient escapement for hatchery brood.

The third rain (which happened immediately after announcing the closure) would eventually move the fish to the hatchery racks. Once brood was assured, fishing re-opened in sequential fashion, albeit WITHOUT chinook retention.

That there would ultimately be a large surplus of hatchery chinook turned out to be a HUGE blessing. Nemah experienced a massive adult kill... pre-spawn mortalities... due to Ichthyophthirius or "ICH" for short. Virtually the entire adult broodstock was lost.

Surplus eggs from the other facilities had to be brought in to backfill the deficit at Nemah. In the end, Advisors were told chinook egg-take objectives at each facility were ultimately fulfilled.

With chinook spawning now complete, a reasonable run size estimate can be made, and we will probably know at the next Advisor meeting whether the 20% impact cap was satisfied.