We spent the most amount of time during the NOF rec discussion on this issue in Vancouver Friday.
That 22 fish impact is for ALL of the NON-treaty side.... rec and commercial combined
To give folks an idea of how dire the circumstances are, imagine if all those impacts were allocated rec. That would mean a TOTAL handle of only 220 wild B-runs. That's pie in the sky because some of those impacts will be spent to allow the commercials to have a season in Zones 4/5.
The best way to deal with the situation is to minimize/prevent encounters with B-runs. The data we have shows that most of them are encountered in the coolwater refugia fisheries at the mouths of tribs where the fish take a little breather to get out of the warm flows of the mainstem CR.
The only problem is... so do all of the other harvestable fish stocks that folks like to target.
Viable options laid on the table include (from worst to best)
1) outright trib mouth closures,
2) no steelhead fishing at trib mouths,
3) one steelhead bag (one and done),
4) one salmonid bag..... this keep folks who have tagged a steelhead from continuing to "fish for my salmon" in the usual 2 fish bag.... also takes into account that there is an impact on B-runs from just salmon fishing alone, and a 1 fish bag gets folks off the water faster.
If fishing is actually allowed, there could be gear/bait restrictions and count on the elimination of any party fishing for a boat limit and a ban on night fishing.
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"Let every angler who loves to fish think what it would mean to him to find the fish were gone." (Zane Grey)
"If you don't kill them, they will spawn." (Carcassman)
The Keen Eye MDLong Live the Kings!