Commission seeks comments on revised
draft policy for Grays Harbor fisheries
NEWS RELEASE
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/
January 17, 2014
Contact: Ron Warren, (360) 902-2799
Commission Office, (360) 902-2267
Commission seeks comments on revised
draft policy for Grays Harbor fisheries
OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is seeking public comments on a revised draft policy to improve salmon management in Grays Harbor.
The revised draft policy includes new provisions recently proposed by the commission to conserve wild salmon runs, clarify catch allocation, and reduce conflicts between sport and commercial fishers in the harbor.
The commission, a citizen panel that sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), added the new provisions during a public meeting attended by more than 150 fishers Jan. 10-11 in Tumwater.
Ron Warren, deputy assistant director of WDFW's Fish Program, thanked the commission for adding provisions he said would provide the department with clear direction for setting future seasons for non-tribal salmon fisheries in Grays Harbor.
"We need to focus on conserving and restoring the salmon runs in the Grays Harbor Basin," Warren said.
The revised policy, scheduled for a vote by the commission at a meeting Feb. 7-8, is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/grays_harbor_salmon/ .
Written comments on the revised draft policy may be submitted through Jan. 31 via email to commission@dfw.wa.gov or by mail to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
Commissioner Rolland Schmitten, who spoke in favor of the amendments, noted that fisheries in southeast Alaska and Canada intercept nearly half of all fall chinook salmon returning to the Chehalis River, which flows into Grays Harbor.
"Our challenge is that there are simply not enough salmon to meet the expectations of all stakeholders," Schmitten said.
In other business, the commission modified fishing rules for two rivers on opposite sides of the Cascade Range:
• Naselle River: Fishing from a floating device equipped with an internal combustion motor was prohibited year round from the Highway 4 Bridge upstream to the Crown mainline (Salme) Bridge. The commission's action was based on a citizens' petition.
• San Poil River: The daily limit for walleye was raised from eight fish to 16 fish to address an overpopulation of walleye in this tributary to Lake Roosevelt.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/grays_harbor_salmon/

"Commissioner Rolland Schmitten, who spoke in favor of the amendments, noted that fisheries in southeast Alaska and Canada intercept nearly half of all fall chinook salmon returning to the Chehalis River, which flows into Grays Harbor.
"Our challenge is that there are simply not enough salmon to meet the expectations of all stakeholders," Schmitten said. "

This where a major battle should be waged!!!
It is well documented that we target Canadian bound fisheries and should make a deal with them to do the same. Yeah I know they (us & them) have an agreement but neither side complies, it's all a political clusterfuck and we loose!!!

Much of the Canadian taking of WA/OR fish is in response to AK taking theirs. WA and Canada can get into a **ssing match where they clobber each others fish and it still doesn't slow AK. Since nobody else takes "their" fish (AK), who cares?

……and the need for terminal fisheries only!

Each state or province gets out of it what they put into it. No interception.

Now, back to reality.

Unfortunately that would end all saltwater salmon fishing (outside of San Francisco Bay, Tillamook Bay, Lower Columbia River, Willapa Bay, Grays Harbor, and Inner Puget Sound) everywhere from Southern California to the Arctic Circle. As primarily a river fisherman that wouldn't cramp my style too much, but I suspect a few others might have a strong opinion about that...

Fish on...

Todd

No doubt Todd, it would be a change for some. But I wonder how loud the complaining would be when our returns jumped by 4 or 5-fold? The GH interception alone is mind-boggling and has been well-documented on this site.

Can't get hung up on how many Hump Kings get caught in Sitka or Nootka... that's a losing battle. Get the QIN to stop netting 5 days/week? Probably just as unrealistic but would have a great impact on escapement.