I think the desired outcome of the lawsuits is the elimination of hatchery fish. They are using the tried and true tactic of suits to delay. Or filibusters, or however one wishes to slow a process.

Concur, even if their current effort doesn't completely eliminate EWSH plants it will have had a huge impact. If WFC wanted best science they would have sued NOAA to push the process rather than WDFW - the lower hanging fruit.


A guy I worked for once said "Don't look at what the Legislature says, look at where they spend their money". Those plans are a very low priority.

That is a pragmatic, depressing perspective which is, unfortunately, very appropriate to what is occurring. Sisyphus' rock is growing larger and the mountain higher and steeper.

I don't think population reduction is necessary -- just a major change in how we live. Nobody, least of all the federal government, dares to say this, but everyone involved knows it's true. There is a big effort right now to take down the Snake River dams to help produce more and better Chinook salmon for whales. Are the sport fishermen, commercial fishermen, or the tribes supporting this? Why was a new car dealership just allowed to be built in the Stillaguamsh. It seems that habitat loss and degradation continues without opposition from any fishing groups. I wish that WFC would ask for a moratorium on development, rather than on hatcheries, until there is a real commitment to salmon and steelhead recovery. And, I wish that fishing groups would demand the same.

All they really want is a complete cessation of hatchery production in the PNW; people who aren't on board with their idealism need to start accepting this reality.

Here's a little light reading: