Impact of House Bill 1036

House Bill 1036 by Representative Walsh looks to me like it has significant consequences for other programs. The main language of the bill is:

"The department shall ensure that hatcheries in Grays Harbor,
Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties each produce an annual number of fish that is equal to or greater than the annual average number of fish
the hatchery produced over the past twenty years."

If this passes will it eliminate the Grays Harbor Management Plan and the Willapa Management Plan? Do we discard HSRG recommendations?

That average might not be as high as you think it might be. If you go back into the 1980s and probably 1990s, you might find that more fish were being released. Overall, plants have dropped by almost 50% since 1985.

HSRG is being looked at. There is to be a staff presentation to the Commission on the process next Friday.

Have to read the whole bill, but if if they just need to produce more fish, do chum. Cheap to raise, can do tons of them.

I think Rep. Walsh has his head on backwards. Whose pocket is he in that he would allocate citizen taxpayer dollars to raise fish to mainly be caught in BC and AK, instead of WA? It seems like he is being too free and easy with our money.

Same pocket as to raise them for Tribes and NI nets.......

He's just trying to force more terminal net fisheries by the NI guys.

But, way back in late 80s/early 90s the Director was proposing to grow lots of Chinook in Willapa for Canada, if they would fish selectively.