Originally Posted By: Salman
I can’t see why WDFW cuts corners on some fisheries and not others. They find the need to restrict sporties gear to save fish while allowing nets to go out unaltered. Why don’t they have regulations saying every 10 ft of net needs to have a 5 ft diameter hole in it?


Because of the fundamental difference between a recreational fishery and a commercial fishery. The purpose of a recreational fishery is to optimize recreation, however optimization is defined. The purpose of a commercial fishery is to kill as many fish as possible as efficiently as possible up to the harvest allocation limit. The 5' hole you suggest in every 10' of net is inconsistent with the purpose of that net fishery. Where WDFW fails the public is holding a commercial fishery that costs more in management costs than the value of the fish harvested, like Grays Harbor NI gillnet.