ttt

The "Biological Assessment of Incidental Impacts on Winter Steelhead Listed Under the Endangered Species Act in Non-Indian Mainstem Columbia River Fisheries..."

That is the 26 page pleading put together by WDFW and ODFW and sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service in an attempt to increase the allowable mortality of ESA listed steelhead from 2% to 7%.

The long paper is full of graphs and evidence pleading the case that the commercial netters should be allowed to kill three times the current allowable level of ESA listed steelhead. Here is the final paragraph:

"In conclusion, the NMFS should approve the states request to manage non-Indian fisheries targeting spring chinook in the mainstem Columbia River below Bonneville Dam for a management guideline of 5% with impacts not to exceed 7% on wild winter steelhead. Additionally, the states recommend that the NMFS 1) fund and/or support efforts by the states to determine long-term mortality rates for winter steelhead released in the commercial tangle net fishery, and 2) support the states efforts to provide for meaningful commercial fishing opportunity in concert with the ESA guidelines to minimize mortality of listed salmonids, by supporting the tangle net fishery as it unfolds and as new information becomes available."

So bottom line is NMFS is supposed to allow a tripling of the mortality on ESA listed steelhead so the tangle net fishery can continue so WDFW and ODFW can see what unfolds....Well we already know what has already unfolded. Too many ESA listed steelhead are killed in nets....period. No need for a 26 page pleading trying to prove that it is ok to kill so many ESA listed fish. We already know that the tangle nets do not protect those fish...They just don't.
This blatant advocacy paper for the commercial fishing industry only goes to prove the commercial bias in WDFW and ODFW and further advances the distrust the sports fishing community has for those departments. I have to say it is really interesting to read through this document and see to what lengths the staff at WDFW and ODFW have gone to try to make a case for killing more ESA listed fish. They have done it for a tiny minority of the fishers in the two states and they have done it in the shadows. Now they are exposed and I understand that they are pushing this proposal full speed ahead. I suspect that the document cost a pretty penny to research and produce. Money spent from tight budgets to lobby for the commercial interests.

So many people are spending so much time and money to save these fish it is curious that the stewards of our fisheries would be doing their best to do the opposite. They have some explaining to do.

Grandpa, do you have a link to the document or the ability to e-mail or post it? I would very much like to read it.

eddie

http://home.comcast.net/~lway3/Coverletter_04.doc

http://home.comcast.net/~lway3/STW%20BA%20Final.doc

Thanks POS

There are alot of big words in there Ed....read slow and wear foil

AuntyM..the paper which you can now read is directed directly at commercial opportunity. If sports would get the same mortality exemption it would be an unneeded side benefit.

POS Clerk - Thanks for the links.

I am completely shocked by the content of those documents. Especially considering that the press release at the beginning of this thread was publicly submitted fully 4 weeks after the request for greater impacts on the steelhead stocks.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

January 30, 2004

Contact: WDFW: Cindy Le Fleur, (360) 906-6706
or Margaret Ainscough (360) 902-2408
ODFW: Steve Williams, (503) 947-6209
or Anne Pressentin, (503) 947-6020

Allocation set for Columbia River spring chinook fisheries

Following the direction of the Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife commissions, the directors of the states' fish and wildlife departments today announced...
--->forward to quote...

"These fisheries are set very conservatively to protect wild fish-while allowing harvest opportunity for healthy, hatchery stocks," said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Jeff Koenings, Ph.D. "As always, conservation is paramount in conducting sustainable fisheries."

"Koenings and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Director Lindsay Ball stressed that pre-season planning for the spring chinook fisheries also should be based on a federally-established limit of 2 percent incidental impact to wild steelhead. This figure reflects incidental catches of wild steelhead that occur as the steelhead co-mingle with spring chinook during a portion of the fishing season."

...& etc...

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
"click here to read the full release"
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

I can only say that what trust I had in the fish managers custodial intent has been deeply betrayed by such bold lies.

At least the steelhead requested for greater impact are not the endangered Upper Columbia stock.

The steelhead ESU's as published in the Federal Register are:
62 FR 43937 (8/18/97) - Upper Columbia River (Endangered
62 FR 43937 (8/18/97) - Snake River Basin (Threatened)
63 FR 13347 (3/19/98) - Lower Columbia River (Threatened)
64 FR 14517 (3/25/99) - Upper Willamette River (Threatened)
64 FR 14517 (3/25/99) - Middle Columbia River (Threatened)

Interestingly, the commercial netting fishery has a considerable bycatch of steelhead resulting, at least historically, in impacts above the allocated numbers.

The recreational fishery, on the other hand, has a much smaller bycatch ratio and around double the survival rate for released steelhead resulting in our ability to harvest up to our allocated impact on wild chinook without even approaching our allocated impact on listed steelhead.

Remember that the lie isn't half as bad as the cover up....And it will be even more outrageous if they continue to push NMFS behind the scenes all the while pretending the opposite in public.

Most of the rumors are true. The arrogance displayed by the culprits in this caper is very revealing. Region 5 is living up to its reputation as the renegade office in the WDFW line up.

No matter what the "real reason" the retirement is good news for the fish...Cindy gets to deal with dams and commercial fishermen....hmmmm....The two biggest causes of the decline of Columbia River salmon runs? She should retire and become a lobbyist for either or both.

excuse me it's late i thought this thread was about spinners', anyways you springer folks just keep chasing those springer thangs, and i'll just keep catchn' those steely thangs.
PEACE Mav.

Fly....... 28 my Arse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!