Well i saw it first hand this weekend, fresh Washington coast steelhead for sale $4.99 a lbs. at the farmers market in Seattle! What a shame!! I thought to myself maybe they are farm fish, but because i am a avid sportsman with 2 years a commercial fishing in Alaska under my belt I know they weren't farmed like most of the fish they were selling. While standing there watching people snatch these beautiful fish up which ranged from 8-15 lbs. I couldn't help but ask were exactly they get there steelhead from. So I stepped up and asked for some manila clams(was having company over and the wife wanted to have clams)while bagging the clams for me I asked "were do your steelhead come from", already knowing what the answer was, he said "from the coast" I replied "the sign says that I want to know who you get them from, he then said "the indians of corse, you can't get them from any were else". At that point my blood presure was starting to boil! I wanted so badly to start informing the people buying these steelhead(which i saw 4 baught in about 10 minutes)that these things are threatened and on there way to extiction along with all of the other species that the indians are allowed to net. But with my wife standing next to me i wasn't going to cause a seen. Why don't people understand by buying these fish it is you are supporting these slimy indians. The more fish people buy the more they will net and not report. what do you guys think of this?

I think it sucks.I was there Friday and saw the same thing, seems to me like there`s a committee called the market commission, I think I`ll look into that and send them off a letter about buying wild steelhead from any body, regardless of their creed.

[This message has been edited by rainycity (edited 03-19-2000).]

A well-worded letter to the editor of the Times, P-I, and News Tribune might be a start.

It is a sad commentary on the public's ignorance to the issue. If it can be worded right, you may go so far as to challenge the papers to print the letter-to not print it is cowardice.

We as a society may be "obligated" to compensate the tribes but we aren't obligated to buy the product. Can you say BOYCOTT?

Did a little web serfing. here`s a link to their site, at the bottom is a phone number for contacting them. http://freshseafood.com/

And the white fish buyer might pay the Indian 80 cents a lb

Thanks Rainycity, I just sent them a little note (Politely) in their special request box located in their e-mail. I suggest we all click on the link and send them a brief note. Maybe we can nip this in the bud....I also mentioned that this will eventually reach the local news media.

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Steve Ng....The FishNg1
99 F-350 Powerstroke 4x4 , 18ft Alumaweld Formula Vee Sled, 115 Yamaha.

this will continue to happen as long as the state is affriad of the indians.They dont want them running around crying human rights issues and makeing the state look bad.So as long as the state and the feds dont have any balls you will see the indians take the last of the fish and everything else they can get.

I also sent the Market an email, appealing to their business sense by saying:

1. Native steelhead are endangered, even if Indians and/ or commercials are allowed to net them in certain watersheds.

2. It's bad publicity to advertise and sell endangered species. You wouldn't do business with a butcher who had a sign in his window 'Fresh Panda steaks $4.99/ lb' would you? Well, the Market is in this position today by selling native steelhead.

3. Turn this to a public relations advantage by stopping the sale of native steelhead immediately. Instead, switch to a hatchery- or farm-raised only steelhead policy, and advertising this. (The fish will taste just as good.)

If I lived in the area, I might also have politely mentioned that this scenario would be preferable to a film on the 6 o'clock news of school kids carrying signs saying 'Stop killing our endangered steelhead'. A half dozen concerned citizens handing out leaflets explaining why native steelhead should not be purchased (but hatchery steelhead were OK), and urging a boycott of the Market would complete the picture.

If this approach works, you can take the campaign to the next largest fish market and/ or the supermarket chains in sequence.

The three possible flaws in the above argument are: (a) there are certain times of the year when hatchery or farmed raised fish aren't available, only natives; and/ or (b) farm-raised steelhead (diploid rainbows) don't taste as good as native or hatchery steelhead (do they?); and/ or (the clincher) (c) it's cheaper for us to buy native steelhead than farm-raised steelhead and/ or we can sell natives at a higher profit margin.

If any of the above is true, a boycott with lots of negative publicity may be the only way to get retail sellers of native steelhead to see the light. After all, to a fish market steelhead are not a passion, they are a commodity to earn a profit from.

Boycott. We need to start listing the stores, restaurants, and fish markets that are selling wild stealhead. This way we can do our part to inform these places and take our busuness elsewhere. What do think?

i e-mailed them and informed them that killing wild steelhead for profit is wrong!!!boycott the sell of wild steelhead!!!

FISH ON!!!

I,m the last guy who would want any wild Steelhead to be harvested to be sold commercially. When did Steelhead become an endangered species? They're not. The number's suck, and need to be increased. The last I heard the fish manager's(ya right) in charge of our 50% of the fish, want to increase the sport kill on the coast. So give me a break on the racist stuff! Where do you suppose the clam's you bought came from ?

Did someone say Panda steaks? Where?(jk) It's great to see a push by readers here to do something to stop the sale of wild steelhead! I'll do my part by writing. I hope some readers here can get the media involved.~ A story for the fish market: Recently, in Madison County Circuit Court (S.W. Montana), the Assistant District Attorney brought before the sitting Judge an older wilderness vagrant (sometimes refered to as hermits). The charge was for shooting and possessing a Trumpeter Swan; a bird on the Fed. Endangered Species list, as several birds in that area are. The Judge asked the old cogger for his plea and he said "Your cops found me with it so I must be guilty". Judge, "Why did you kill this beautiful bird?". Cog, "I was hungry and them taste dang good." Judge, "Well I'm quite sure you must know about hunting laws so I'm going to have to convict you. I am curious though- if Swans taste so good , what do they taste like?". Cog, "Well...let's see....oh, I'd say about half way between Whooping Crane and Bald Eagle". ..shtick (read that one by Reel Truth off his site)

[This message has been edited by Fishtick (edited 03-20-2000).]

I also e-mail th link above and sent a letter to my local paper ( see my post )today,we as sportsman pay a lot of money each year for the prevlige to fish....

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Tight Lines
FISH ON ------<*)>><
Men are like fish we get into trouble when we open our mouths to much!!

The WDFW sets escapement goals(pathetic numbers), and the tribes are taking their 50%.Some will argue that the tribes don't report all they catch.That may be true.
If sportsmen are allowed to harvest then why blame the tribes for wanting half?
I blame the fish managers of the state.
Higher escapement goals = more fish.
I am not a fan of gillnets but I think changes in fish management policies are more of a reality than getting tribal nets out of the water.
Boycotting the tribes products is fine, but remember to write the WDFW and let them know how you feel about their fish mis-management.
Do you really think the tribes will stop netting because their is no market for the fish?

You know, I keep hearing about the tribes not reporting all the fish they take. I wonder how many of us sportfishers don't "punch" all our fish. I have seen many people not do it. Same goes for big game tags. The state uses those numbers to assist them in harvest quotas. I don't agree with their numbers but they need some sort of figure to start with. Another word I hear is BYCATCH. But not very often on this board. One year the bycatch for sturgeon on the Chehalis river was in the hundreds of fish range. The nets were set for salmon. That is what is killing alot of our fish. Bycatch.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

Did I miss something here? Did Fishmaster Condemn this purveyor of fish flesh from one side of his mouth while supporting them from the other by buying clams? In order for any boycott to be effective, you must abstain from purchasing any product from these people, not just the targeted species. You must be vocal in your reason for not buying from them as well. You might even create a scene just for emphasis. It seems to work for the assholes over at P.E.T.A. anyway. As long as there is a market for native steelhead, The Indians will supply it. Sounds a little like the South American drug guys, doesn't it. Sure it sucks but that is the way the world works. We have to work within the system or we are just another bunch of goobers standing outside whining. How about some suggestions regarding
what must be done to eliminate the market for these fish.
I'm GRUMPYR cause I don't get to fish enough.

Thanks Rainycity for the email address. I dropped them an email today.

The way I see it, a deluge of emails may do the trick. I believe the sale of wild steelhead by the market is not so much profit oriented, but marketing oriented. They're advertising a seasonal 'delicacy' like Copper River Kings. Variety is its own advertising. So I believe we can make them think it will backfire, if negative publicity gets out.

A few comments about any info you put in emails or other communiques that I believe will help the cause:

Refrain from calling wild steelhead 'endangered'. They are not threatened or endangered under ESA like the Puget Sound chinook. This could cause confusion or worst, an accusation that we are providing inaccurate information to benefit our own interests. THIS WOULD BE BAD!

At least to my tastes, the Diploid farm raised rainbows taste the same as river caught hatchery steelhead. The retail prices of both seem to be in the same range. As far availability goes, if they demand it year-round, I'm sure they can get it from the farms. I haven't had a problem getting farm-raised Atlantics anytime I want. In other words, they don't have to sell wild steelhead.

Telling them you will no longer shop or purchase their products while they maintain the practice of selling wild steelhead will get their attention. Business is business.

Finally, ask for a response back; make them feel like your serious about pursuing the matter. I'm curious about how (if) they'll respond to may email; if they think there is anything good about selling wild steelhead.

I'm willing to bet if enough of us email the market, they themselves will investigate whether this practice is good for their own businesses.

What is the goal of this proposed boycott?Are you looking to increase escapement of these fish?

I strongly encourage to email Lisa Pelly or any other commision member of The Washington Depmartment of Fish and Wildlife commision at commision@dfw.wa.gov and voice your opinion.
They do read these emails, so give it a shot. Maybe you can make a difference.