WFC at it again

WFC licking their chops!

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news...-12-18-2018.php

I see from their website they've sued Trump 102 times. Hmmm, is this really about the killer whales??

Maybe they should put all their chips into cullling the crazy ass sea lion population that continues to devastate our salmon runs. Oh wait, nevermind there's no money in that.

Interesting. I am surprised our AG Ferguson hasn't already pulled that trigger given his penchant for suing the Feds and the amount of State money tied up in the proposed budget for Orca recovery.

Now, what might we speculate as a response? The good, the bad and the ugly??

An Executive Order to reduce seals and sea lions by 2/3?

Also, in following IFish there is a thread Rewild the Willamette and some discussion therein about WFC or similar organization suing ODFW because NOAA/NMFS has failed to complete its review of the ODFW's HGMP and issue a permit. Sound familiar?

Same thing over in Idaho over steelhead. Who's the usual suspect you ask? Who else? Over NOAA permitting process as usual. Seems a proven recipe for strong arming. To think I actually used to donate to these guys.

You'll get no disagreement from me on this part...

“There’s growing evidence that Chinook size and abundance are closely related to the survival and reproductive success of Southern Resident killer whales. Yet federal fishery managers responsible for protecting this endangered population have ignored data showing how ocean harvest management contributes to the decline of both Chinook salmon and Southern Resident killer whales,” said Kurt Beardslee, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy. "

DFO and NOAA-F are both complicit in their unwavering efforts to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the mixed-stock open ocean rape of the chinook nursery. The relentless harvest in these killing fields, prosecuted on a melting pot of stocks from AK BC and the PNW has spelled DISASTER for north-migrating wild chinook on the entire west coast.

Perhaps the plight of SRKW's may just be the catalyst needed to finally achieve meaningful harvest reform that puts an end to these unsustainable northern intercept fisheries.

The alternative, Doc, is that they will bring in the God Squad and write off the SRKWs. And the Chinook, too as it i beyond obvious that recovery is not their intent. Listed in the early 90s and what progress has been made?

Even a fairly modest reduction in northern mixed stock chinook fisheries that intercept PS chinook would result in an immediate and significant increase in returns of local chinook adults. I can’t argue with their basic premise. No other propsed action would do that in real time. Would likely also benefit terminal PS fisheries. I have been wondering why this has not been a bigger part of the proposed SRKW recovery discussions.

The 60 day notice letter appears to focus solely on curtailing ocean fisheries in California, Oregon, and Washington. I wonder why there isn't any focus on AK and Canada?

Yes WTF?

Does this group need a basic lesson in Pacific Salmon life cycles?

No. That group is well aware of salmon life cycles. It has to be a strategic approach recognizing the realities of the Canadian fisheries. Wish I could be a fly on the wall and be privy to their end game.

I'm sure it is intentional. If the suit does happen, some Washington groups (CCA, NSIA, ?) need to step up and intervene to ensure the pain is shared by those north of us.

It's becoming ever apparent how pointless the permits are, as well. For years hatcheries have been dialed back to "limit impacts on wilds" by NMFS and then suddenly here we are crying about whales and the stance flips immediately 180 degrees with no scientific basis to go ahead and quadruple hatchery releases to "produce food" wild impacts be damned!

The whole permitting process is a shell game and as far as I can tell means just about absolutely 0 to actual fish survival.

I'm not sure that WDFW has presented a plan for increased production to NMFS let alone that NMFS has approved one. Given their (NMFS) obvious inability to do anything in a timely manner the forthcoming train wreck should be interesting to watch.

I LOVE when we Hail the Hero who committed the rape. Create an emergency and then hero the recovery .... freakin genius! Plant the damn fish.

NOAA can't close the Canadian fisheries. They can act on any and all US fisheries. They should do something about the BC fisheries but those will be tied up in a tight package with AK.

But, again, NOAA can't shut down Canada, nor can US Courts.

Anybody want to take this to The Hague?

Theologists run this show. They don't need to produce a viable product. Plant the damn fish ... it works.

Plant fish.

The Feds have run into a lot of problems because they can't, don't, won't meet timelines. Congress and Administrations learned that if you don't fund them they don't do nothin'.

A few decades back the development side of the Leg passed a law requiring DOE to process water rights, which were backed up, in X days. The Leg also cut the budget for staff to do the actual processing.

So let me get this straight. WFC sues to close down hatchery steelhead production and potentially other hatchery salmon food sources which results in the decline/starvation of the Orcas. Then they sue to protect the Orcas that they were responsible for killing off? Sounds like someone needs to step up and sue WFC for our orca problem.