Correct me if I've wrong, but as I understand it, the state of Washington is required to determine the harvestable amount of steelhead and salmon annually. This is based on catch records reported by the partys invovled; tribes, commercials and sportsmen. Then the tribes are alloted half, with the commercials and sportsmen getting their share of the rest.
Most sportsmen release wild steelhead. This shows as a lower catch record in the overall total. Which keeps the escapement numbers higher than "allowed."
The tribes have made it clear in the past that if the state doesn't harvest its allotment of fish, commercial and sportsmen totals, they will.
The recent increase of wild fish allowed to be kept on the Hoh and Quileute shows that the state thinks their are plenty of fish to sustain the runs.
I think the state knows that most sportsmen still won't keep wild fish. This is a way to divert the allotment balance of fish, without actually increasing the total harvest.
Which brings me to my proposal.
If sportsmen recorded more wild steelhead on their punchcards, the overall harvest numbers would increase. Hopefully the result would be future reductions of total harvest.
I know it's not honest, but we are alloted a certain number of fish every year. I choose to release "my" fish, instead of eating it.
I'm interested in what you think.
Gals, the term sportsmen includes you.
thanks, jq

I'm not completely sure but I think that showing increased harvest numbers would boost run size higher then it is. Total run size equals harvest plus escapement. In the following years a five year average run size that would be used for pre-season prediction of total run for a given year would be inflated, and a greater harvest number would be used.

The native alotment is based upon "harvestable" not actual harvest. Basically take the total run size, subtract the escapement goal, that leaves the harvestable number of fish. The native Am.'s get 50% of that.

Howdy,
The 97-98 Steelhead harvest summary from WDFW has a graph of Tribal/recreational percentages from 79 to 98. From 79 to 84 sport fishers took a few more fish. 85-88 Tribal takes were considerably higher than sport. Then some years of equity, but 94-98 the totals, although low favored the sport harvest alot.

In 97-98 the Tribes did not fish 21 systems that the Boldt decision entitled them to harvest. Granted the economic value of the runs on those rivers probably wasn't worth the effort. I think we should keep the faith that everyone's stake in this game will unify the effort's and result in an environment supplying what we all need.