This is a kill fishery with no guarantee of surplus fish to kill in any given year. I don't think it makes any sense for a small population of wild spring chinook. There are very few stocks left like this.

C&R for springers is going to have a pretty big impact compared to other fish. They have a very long time in the river ahead of them, and any injury is going to open the door for fungus etc. during the warm summer months. For this stock, I think hands-off would be the most technically sound policy.

Perhaps the best solution would be for the powers to be to list them as endangered. This would then put the ball into the courts of the tribal netting interests to explain why they were continuing to target them. I am quite sure that there are many late winter/spring steelhead that are intercepted by this fishery(nets). I'm also pretty sure this would not fly with the WDFG as they seem to have the first item on the adgenda to not upset the tribes no matter what happens to the fish runs. I'll do my part by skipping the mouths this year.

WDFW co-manages with the indians, which really means that if the indians don't get their way, they take their ball and go home, and nobody fishes.

Maybe that's what need to happen for Salmon recovery.

I remember at one time someone on this site was talking about a suggestion to shut down individual rivers for several years on an as needed basis to allow runs to recover. This would cause a lot of disagreement within the fishing circles as no-one would want "their" river to be the first one. I still think it would be a good idea in the long run if we are truely concerned with fish recovery. I think a prime example would be the fall fish on the Chehalis. Primarily the kings. But this would have to include the tribal netters. Maybe even offer them an alternative place to net those years to truely give the plan a chance to work. Just a thought.

that and steelhead recovery. no CNR, just shut the damned thing down. screw opportunity. "opportunity" should be for harvest, and if the numbers don't support it, stop pussyfooting around.

..and then there are some proposing to start a springer program at skookumchuck hatchery once the rebuild's done ........probably won't happen though....

Fishing tribes should be 50/50 with the state in running the hatcheries.