How would you rationalize such a reallocation of opportunity? I can tell you that the South Sound anglers already perceive that they are taking the short end of the stick on several fronts.
How's that? Peninsula rivers, the coast, the Columbia and tribs are within reach for day trips for south sounders. Not to mention the sound itself. Arguably it's one of the better positions to be in the state for year-round fishing opportunity.
As it stands right now, our "day trip" opportunity (from the san juans region) is Everett. 60+ miles to fish areas 8.2 or 9.
First, this was discussing blackmouth impact allocation rather than a general discussion of fishing opportunities. Let's stick with that issue and the idea that allocation could/should be shifted to areas where the fishing is best so that they can prolong their (outstanding) fishing. Unfortunately, that extension would likely cause the early closer of all blackmouth fishing within Puget Sound. So your rationalization is that we have other opportunities like the rivers? The only river which may have a boat opportunity for displaced saltwater boat anglers is the Columbia. Gee whiz Batman, that's something like 130 miles south. And you've complaining about 60 miles to Everett?
Have you considered a Canadian license? Closer for you to go to Canada than for us to go to the Big C for springers (which aren't in yet), eh. Rivers, salt, bigger limits and longer seasons on spot prawns, crab, should provide great opportunity closer to home. Glad I could help.
In case you haven't figured it out yet I seem to have lost any sympathy......
Heh, well I do have a way of alienating potential supporters. I do agree it's hard to sympathize with some guy who's just experienced some of the best salmon fishing ever.
But for me the issue IS opportunity. Perhaps it is another thread. It's a much larger issue that would tie into the fact that WDFW manages by closure. By saying the only other opportunity available is the big C, you're basically assuming that all other closures are merited. The reason I am droning on about opportunity in this thread is because it just so happens blackmouth was our last remaining opportunity.
But back on the topic, I really don't think you can claim that under the aggregate method of management, all marine areas would be closed. How exactly would you know that? I am no management expert, but I think it highly UNlikely that one marine area would use up the quota set for all 7 or 8 open ones.
It seems like this exactly why the aggregate method is being floated by people like Tony Floor. If it was likely to just end up with the same result (or worse - ALL marine areas are closed), I sincerely doubt it would be pushed.
Let's say the method of management didn't change...I'm STILL saying the system is broken. Anybody who's ever even used excel knows a model is only as good as what you put into it. Using 1970s coded wire tag data as the foundation is just plain wrong. How is using *anything* from the 1970s even relevant? I am from the 1970s, and I am no longer relevant
WDFW is "working" to update the model to use coded wire tag data from the early 2000s, but is still a couple years off. (????)
So we were already hamstrung by bad data before the season even began. My guess (emphasis on guess), is that the model has the inability to realize that the pie might be bigger.
Second, the glacial pace at which data moves through the system in-season is a critical issue. As it turns out, at the time the bag limit changed to 1 we were ALREADY OVER QUOTA. But they didn't know it because it takes weeks to process all the data from the various sampling methods. Talk about bureaucratic inefficiency. Having all the information in a timely manner might have helped prolong the season, because they would have been able to throttle it alot sooner.
It was the 1-2 punch of bad data and inefficient management.
Yes, I know, crocodile tears. Don't feel bad for me! Yes, I DO have a canadian license and even a nexus pass. But I am not a Canadian, I'm a Washingtonian and I care much more about what goes on at home than in another country. I'm what you'd call a CONSTITUENT.
Actually, the people you should feel bad for are the ones who make they livelihoods from sportsfishing. The guides, sure. But even more so the retailers. The good folks at great stores like Holiday Sports and Yeager's are going to feel this, and it goes all the way up the supply chain. Poor management practices have real consequences.
This is part of what House bill 1660 is trying to address:
(4) The legislature further finds that Washington will not be able to grow its sports fishing tourism industry, and compete with other popular sports fishing destinations, unless the fish and wildlife commission prioritizes recreational harvest opportunities and establishes predictable and stable recreational fishing seasons that enable both state residents and visitors from around the country and around the globe to make long-term trip planning and tourism spending decisions that lead them to Washington's rural communities.
Sportfishing is about opportunity.
