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#913248 - 11/14/14 07:08 PM Baker Lake Meeting Report
bushbear Offline
River Nutrients

Registered: 08/26/02
Posts: 4709
Loc: Sequim

Report on Baker River Basin Sockeye Workshop held on November 1, 2014 at Mill Creek Regional Office, WDFW
By Michael Bakke and Frank Urabeck


A public workshop was held on Saturday, November 1, regarding the Baker River Basin sport and tribal sockeye fisheries, at the WDFW Mill Creek Regional office from 10 a.m. until about 12:15 p.m. The peak attendance was about 50, with six being WDFW staff, led by Ron Warren, Deputy Assistant Director, Intergovernmental Salmon Management. Members from Puget Sound Anglers, Coastal Conservation Association, Steelhead Trout Club and other organizations as well as just interested citizen anglers participated.

While all speakers were passionate about the Baker sockeye fisheries held in the Skagit River and Baker Lake, everyone was impressively respectful and knowledgeable. Many expressed disappointment over the inequity of last summer’s fisheries which resulted in the tribes getting just under 80% of the total sockeye harvest. The department acknowledged the inequity of the 2014 harvest but argued that they had been mislead by the unusual return during the critical period of the in-season update. By the time they fully realized the run would be well below the pre-season forecast of 35,400 the tribes had taken sockeye that should have gone to Baker Lake for recreational harvest. The actual run was only about 27,700. Improvements in run forecasting need to be considered, including consideration of a buffer like is done with Columbia river spring Chinook fishery. In-season update methodology should be given attention too.

Mr. Warren agreed that this workshop was just the beginning of a joint process with the public to explore options for ensuring better fairness and equity in future harvests, beginning in 2015. He said the department would mull over the ideas shared by those attending the workshop and get back to us with what they might be willing to explore with the three tribes fishing Baker sockeye through the 2015 North of Falcon salmon season setting process. A response to workshop participants is expected soon from the department on what might be possible as well as a tentative date for another public meeting before the NOF 2015 process begins.

We suspect that an important element of future discussions will be the Skagit River sport fishery which was held this year and in 2012. Sockeye anticipated to be taken by recreational fisheries from the Skagit River can reduce the number of sockeye put into Baker Lake. However, a river fishery does result in recreational fishers getting more of our total share of harvestable sockeye because of how the Baker Lake fishery works. A river quota fishery for sports needs to be explored as it may make possible a reduction in the harvest inequity. Knowing exactly what will be taken in the river makes possible better management of the Baker Lake sport fishery and the pursuit of harvest equity. Harvest quotas for salmon are used for many other fisheries, including the ocean, Puget Sound and the Columbia River. The set season approach for the Skagit River sockeye fishery has been demonstrated to be difficult to manage to pre-season objectives. In 2014 only about 370 sockeye were taken by river anglers when a pre-season objective was to harvest about 2,000. Of course a quota fishery will require continuing the creel census that has been used in the only two Skagit River sport fisheries that have been allowed. This needs to be funded.

Another point to consider relates to the sockeye put into Baker Lake. Except for the 1,500 conservation sockeye placed in the lake for natural spawning, the fish transferred from the Concrete trap are treated, by the department as the state’s (sports) share and available for total harvest. However, the department’s creel census estimates suggest only 50 -- 60% of sockeye put into the lake are taken home by recreational anglers. This was one of the contentious issues discussed. Some ideas were expressed for expanding the harvest percentage with most anglers agreed that should be pursued. In addition to increasing the daily bag limits, the department should look at lake release locations, and timing and surges of lake transfers from the trap at Concrete. All could have a positive impact on angler success rates. Perhaps some stepwise experimentation is appropriate with 2015 a good year to begin. In the five years the annual Baker Lake recreational fishery has been held it has become a very popular sports fishery, with the department estimating the economic value being around $ 1 million annually.

Puget Sound Energy needs to be recognized for spending more than a hundred million dollars for the new juvenile fish passage, adult collection and artificial propagation facilities that are making possible the Baker sockeye success story. This is in contrast to the failure so far of the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) sockeye hatchery program since the new Cedar River sockeye hatchery came on line in 2011. Instead of an annual sockeye fishery that we now have for Baker sockeye, our last Lake Washington sockeye fishery was in 2006. The department and SPU need to give restoring the extremely popular Lake Washington sockeye fisheries a higher priority and greater focus. Current management is working against fisheries.

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#913271 - 11/15/14 10:13 AM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: bushbear]
Jerry Garcia Offline



Registered: 10/13/00
Posts: 9160
Loc: everett
it's too bad that 50% of the decision makers wouldn't participate in these kind of meetings.
_________________________
would the boy you were be proud of the man you are

Growing old ain't for wimps
Lonnie Gane

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#913274 - 11/15/14 11:40 AM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: Jerry Garcia]
Larry B Offline
River Nutrients

Registered: 10/22/09
Posts: 3020
Loc: University Place and Whidbey I...
Originally Posted By: Jerry Garcia
it's too bad that 50% of the decision makers wouldn't participate in these kind of meetings.


If they don't show up they don't have to participate and if they don't participate it probably won't happen so.......I make that 100% control.
_________________________
Remember to immediately record your catch or you may become the catch!

It's the person who has done nothing who is sure nothing can be done. (Ewing)

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#913294 - 11/15/14 08:02 PM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: Larry B]
ondarvr Offline
Three Time Spawner

Registered: 09/07/05
Posts: 1882
Loc: Spokane WA
This wasn't designed to be a meeting with the tribes involved, only a meeting to let the sportsman know what is and isn't being planned. It was also to take input on what the sportsman's priorities are.

I think it should be a 10 fish limit, any number of rods, and no possession limitation (for people camping).

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#913402 - 11/17/14 02:43 PM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: bushbear]
GodLovesUgly Offline
Repeat Spawner

Registered: 04/20/09
Posts: 1269
Loc: WaRshington
Originally Posted By: bushbear

Many expressed disappointment over the inequity of last summer’s fisheries which resulted in the tribes getting just under 80% of the total sockeye harvest.


Wait so you're trying to tell me we let the tribes fish first and they took most of the total allocation?

I'm really surprised by this......

Not!
_________________________
When I grow up I want to be,
One of the harvesters of the sea.
I think before my days are done,
I want to be a fisherman.

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#913405 - 11/17/14 02:56 PM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: GodLovesUgly]
Carcassman Offline
River Nutrients

Registered: 11/21/07
Posts: 7410
Loc: Olema,California,Planet Earth
The reverse situation, where the tribes got the leftovers after the ocean fisheries is what led to Hoh v. Baldridge. The shoe is on the other foot now, and for the same reasons. Fishing out front on forecasts. As long as we support that management paradigm the last in line, whoever that is, will get the really short end of the stick.

Look at WB now. WDFW is, apparently, not managing the nets for catch but for value. Same with the tribes here. The value is higher outside, the individual fisherman gets higher value in his, or her, own net. It's not the fish, it's the money.

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#913417 - 11/17/14 05:40 PM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: Carcassman]
GodLovesUgly Offline
Repeat Spawner

Registered: 04/20/09
Posts: 1269
Loc: WaRshington
And in terms of user groups the least detrimental is the most highly regulated and penalized.
_________________________
When I grow up I want to be,
One of the harvesters of the sea.
I think before my days are done,
I want to be a fisherman.

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#913679 - 11/20/14 03:35 PM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: bushbear]
Ohop Joe Offline
Fry

Registered: 10/27/11
Posts: 23
Originally Posted By: bushbear
This is in contrast to the failure so far of the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) sockeye hatchery program since the new Cedar River sockeye hatchery came on line in 2011. Instead of an annual sockeye fishery that we now have for Baker sockeye, our last Lake Washington sockeye fishery was in 2006. The department and SPU need to give restoring the extremely popular Lake Washington sockeye fisheries a higher priority and greater focus. Current management is working against fisheries.


I think this is an unfair or uneducated statement to make. SPU does not manage the Lake Washington sockeye fishery, the co-managers do. SPU could be producing twice as many fish as the Baker River project and still not provide enough fish for a Lake Washington fishery since the co-managers agreed on a ridiculous high escapement number of 350,000, before allowing a rec fishery. No single hatchery program can produce that kind of return.

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#913693 - 11/20/14 05:34 PM Re: Baker Lake Meeting Report [Re: Ohop Joe]
Todd Offline
Dick Nipples

Registered: 03/08/99
Posts: 28170
Loc: Seattle, Washington USA
The sockeye hatchery on the Cedar isn't a failure, it's doing exactly what it was destined to do, and anyone who can do basic arithmetic could have told you that.

The failure was when someone actually thought wasting $40 Million on a hatchery that would rarely, if ever improve the chances of having a fishery was a good idea.

Fish on...

Todd
_________________________


Team Flying Super Ditch Pickle


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