Attended the annual meeting. About 1/2 as many people there as last year. Had a few guys worried about fishing Game Fish on the Stilly attending.
Looks like the big topic moving forward is Orca's, Orca's, Orca's. It also looks like because of the Orca decline, hatcheries will be ramping up in the future to provide more food. Including planting Chum on the Skagit and doubling production in some areas of Puget Sound.
It will be interesting to see where this all goes.
The other subject brought up was what to do with the large population of Seals, Sea Lions etc. A couple of guys at the meeting said they have brought it up to various officials and they all turn there head, ignore etc because they don't want to go down that road. Can you say Tribe's and Orca Supporters might = action.
Now if we could only teach the resident Orcas to eat Seals we'd be set.
There was a scientific report published last year on a study of the impact of seal predation on Puget Sound salmon. That study included impacts on smolt through adult all adjusted to adult equivalents. As I recall the result was that seals took seven times what ALL fishermen harvested and twice what Orcas require. That is by a seal population twice what NOAA has deemed a healthy, robust population (my words). Begs the question of how much adult salmon returns could be improved by targeting seal populations particularly in and around rivers of highest concern.
And which Agency is responsible for managing the recovery of ESA listed marine animals as well as enforcing the MMPA? NOAA.
Barry Thom?
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