WDFW - Projections indicate low coho runs

[Larry3215]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

February 28, 2017
Contacts: Kyle Adicks, (360) 902-2664;
Michelle Dunlop, (360) 902-2255

Projections indicate state salmon fisheries
will again be tempered by low coho runs

OLYMPIA – Returns of hatchery chinook and coho salmon to Washington's rivers and ocean waters are expected to vary this year, but low returns of wild salmon projected to several rivers will again make setting fisheries a challenge.

That was the prediction of fishery managers at a public meeting today, when forecasts for chinook, coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon were released. The forecasts were developed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and treaty tribes.

The forecast meeting in Olympia marks the starting point for developing 2017 salmon-fishing seasons in Puget Sound, the Columbia River and Washington coastal areas. Fishery managers have scheduled a series of public meetings through early April before they plan to finalize seasons later that month.

Unfavorable environmental conditions, such as warm ocean water or flooding in rivers, have reduced the number of salmon returning to Washington's waters, especially when compared to some of the more abundant returns of recent years, said Kyle Adicks, salmon fisheries policy lead for WDFW.

"Some salmon runs are expected to return in higher numbers over last year, when we forecast historic low numbers for several stocks," Adicks said. "But, for the most part, forecasts are at about average or lower than average, which means we will once again need to limit fisheries in some areas to protect weak returns of wild fish."

Coho returns to several Puget Sound-area rivers, such as the Skagit and Stillaguamish, are projected to be extremely low, which will limit opportunities for salmon fishing overall. The total forecast of 559,000 Puget Sound coho is down about 6 percent from the 10-year average, although it represents an increase from last year's forecast.

Similarly, some chinook fisheries in Puget Sound will be limited this year due to low returns of wild chinook to rivers, such as the Stillaguamish, Nooksack and Dungeness. The forecast for wild chinook is down 10 percent from last year while the forecast for Puget Sound hatchery chinook is 166,000 fish, up 27 percent from the 2016 forecast.

Farther south, about 386,000 Columbia River coho are projected to return this year, which is similar to last year's forecast. Only 223,000 coho actually returned last year to the Columbia River, where some coho stocks are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.

About 582,600 fall chinook salmon are expected to return to the Columbia River, which is similar to last year's actual return. While that's significantly lower than the record 1.3 million fish that returned in 2015, this year's forecast is considered a fairly good run of fall chinook, Adicks said.

Roughly 260,000 "upriver brights" are headed for areas of the Columbia River above Bonneville Dam. The forecast for these fall chinook is the lowest since 2009.

About 250,000 hatchery chinook are expected to return this year to the lower Columbia River – nearly 124,000 more fish than actually returned last year. Those salmon, known as "tules," are the backbone of the recreational ocean chinook fishery. For the most part, tules are doing well considering recent unfavorable ocean conditions, Adicks said.

Meanwhile, this year's run of pink salmon, which mostly return to Washington's waters only in odd-numbered years, is expected to be about 80 percent lower than the 10-year average. About 1.15 million pink salmon are forecast to return to Puget Sound this year.

On a more positive note, roughly 47,000 sockeye are expected to return to the Baker River, a tributary of the Skagit River, making sockeye fisheries in Baker Lake and the Skagit River a possibility, Adicks said.

"This is going to be another challenging year for setting salmon fishing seasons," Adicks said. "We'll rely heavily on input from the public to set priorities for fisheries."

Adicks encourages anglers, commercial fishers and others interested in Washington state salmon fisheries to attend one of nearly 20 public meetings scheduled on setting salmon seasons.

A meeting schedule, salmon forecasts, and information about the salmon season-setting process are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. An online commenting tool will be available on the website later this week.

State, tribal and federal fishery managers will meet March 8-13 in Vancouver, Wash., with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) to develop options for this year's commercial and recreational ocean chinook and coho salmon fisheries. The PFMC establishes fishing seasons in ocean waters three to 200 miles off the Pacific coast.

Additional public meetings have been scheduled into April to discuss regional fishery issues. Input from these regional discussions will be considered as the season-setting process moves into the "North of Falcon" and PFMC meetings, which will determine the final 2017 salmon seasons.

The PFMC is expected to adopt final ocean fishing seasons and harvest levels at its April 7-11 meeting in Sacramento, Calif. The 2017 salmon fisheries package for Washington's inside waters is expected to be completed by the state and tribal co-managers during the PFMC's April meeting.

[Hunter757]

The total forecast of 559,000 Puget Sound coho is down about 6 percent from the 10-year average and it represents an increase from last year's forecast.

The forecast for wild chinook is down 10 percent from last year while the forecast for Puget Sound hatchery chinook is 166,000 fish, up 27 percent from the 2016 forecast.

Glad to see that they expect more then last year....Now 6% off the 10 year average to me can be taken two ways, there off in the numbers and this is a wild guess and is 6% really that bad to have to close a fishery? Seems like a way to create drama and over reaction. Take away for me is 6 percent is like spilling a glass of milk, it really is not that bad but you cuss anyway right.

You noticed they give actual numbers for the Columbia river returns but not for PS when talking numbers what a bunch of crap, they only speak of our s.w.a.g.

Nice to see Baker Lake will once again be a zoo!! Tight lines!!

[dj2loud]

This just goes to show that they have no idea just how many fish are due to return. The dept cannot accurately make a decision when clearly native AKA f-n indians have the right to control our fisheries..... Again they will fish and we will not, as they have legal right to half of whatever is there... In my opinion, and with others agreeing that there should be NO SEASONS FOR ANYONE to ensure the repopulation of fisheries... Just as others and myself stated last year until the guides on the rivers started claiming there was plenty of fish available on the rivers and after protests and fish ins with no hooks did we manage any season at all.... Its pretty damn disturbing that we have to depend on a conquered nation to ruin and determine our sport season...... Trump should strip the sovereign nations and make these a-holes fend for themselves and save the federal government and my hard earned tax money towards the national debt.. I pay taxes why the hell don't they???


This country is ducking rediculous...

DUCK THE TRIBES>>>>>>>> cant use the f ..........

[BARCHASER10]

Last year I asked for and got Coho run statistics that go back to 1981. It is a big table that is split into 8 or 9 different PS zones and not in a form where I can post a link to it. But if you want the entire stats send me a PM with your email address and I will forward it to you.

Recent summary PS Coho runs

Fish Year

1,058,577 89
1,207,674 90
685,940 91
686,276 92
447,837 93
969,673 94
725,523 95
529,188 96
631,012 97
696,676 98
367,215 99
1,017,920 00
1,400,210 01
956,956 02
1,087,251 03
1,456,875 04
771,780 05
483,131 06
665,785 07
438,482 08
681,006 09
398,930 10
737,345 11
969,927 12
900,030 13

559,000 puts the forecast at the low end going back to 1989, but six years were even lower (2010, 2008, 2006, 1999, 1996, 1993). The run size should support some kind of sport fishery if our tribal brothers agree that is.

Yes, it is not a great Coho run but I do not think its panic time. Runs do fluctuate. Coho runs got lower than this forecast before and still came back to near 1million in 12 and 13. If you look closely, lousy Coho runs occur in 4-5 years groups as do good Coho runs. I haven't tried to link them but I'll bet poor runs occur in multiple back to back El Nino years and good runs occur in multiple back to back La Nina years.

Most of the run variation is due to ocean conditions not local fisheries so I don't see that completely closing Coho sports fishing makes any sense.

If these runs die away it is because ocean conditions got too warm to support this fish species and that is the end of Coho salmon in the northwest.

[Larry3215]

This just goes to show that they have no idea just how many fish are due to return. The dept cannot accurately make a decision when clearly native AKA f-n indians have the right to control our fisheries..... Again they will fish and we will not, as they have legal right to half of whatever is there... In my opinion, and with others agreeing that there should be NO SEASONS FOR ANYONE to ensure the repopulation of fisheries... Just as others and myself stated last year until the guides on the rivers started claiming there was plenty of fish available on the rivers and after protests and fish ins with no hooks did we manage any season at all.... Its pretty damn disturbing that we have to depend on a conquered nation to ruin and determine our sport season...... Trump should strip the sovereign nations and make these a-holes fend for themselves and save the federal government and my hard earned tax money towards the national debt.. I pay taxes why the hell don't they???


This country is ducking rediculous...

DUCK THE TRIBES>>>>>>>> cant use the f ..........

While I agree with a few of your points, your blatant racism is inappropriate and doesnt help things at all. Its attitudes like yours that are the reason the tribes want the meetings closed. Spreading hate and racism accomplishes nothing good.

[branweeds]

While I agree with a few of your points, your blatant racism is inappropriate and doesnt help things at all. Its attitudes like yours that are the reason the tribes want the meetings closed. Spreading hate and racism accomplishes nothing good.

I am more getting the sense that he is against their ways of abusing our fishery, rather than disliking them for being Native American. I certainly would never hold anything against someone for being a different race than me, but I would say "F*ck Isis" for all of the immoral acts of terrorism they cause around the world. I see both sides, but I don't blame him at all for being mad at the Native Americans for their destruction of the ecosystem. Hell, by the time I have grand-kids, ( probably about 40 years) I may not even get the chance to teach them how to float some row down the river for a Coho, when that is one of the most memorable things I have to remember about my Grandpa.

[Onmygame]

While I agree with a few of your points, your blatant racism is inappropriate and doesnt help things at all. Its attitudes like yours that are the reason the tribes want the meetings closed. Spreading hate and racism accomplishes nothing good.

I am more getting the sense that he is against their ways of abusing our fishery, rather than disliking them for being Native American. I certainly would never hold anything against someone for being a different race than me, but I would say "F*ck Isis" for all of the immoral acts of terrorism they cause around the world. I see both sides, but I don't blame him at all for being mad at the Native Americans for their destruction of the ecosystem. Hell, by the time I have grand-kids, ( probably about 40 years) I may not even get the chance to teach them how to float some row down the river for a Coho, when that is one of the most memorable things I have to remember about my Grandpa.

Their ways of abusing our fishery?

What are you even talking about??

Do you mean the 53 tribal hatcheries they have up and running that are producing many of the fish you catch?

Our fish runs are declining due to international offshore commercial fishing, climate change, pollution, and on the home front - mismanagement of funds and resources by the WDFW.

It doesn't help that the City of Seattle in the past few weeks has to date dumped over 300 MILLION gallons of sewage into our Sound. This will have a HUGE adverse affect on the fish, as it is already hard enough for juvenile salmon to make the transition from freshwater to saltwater as they head towards sea.

As to the other poster full of bigoted vitriol - I wouldn't even hazard a guess what motivates him to post such nonsense.

I agree with Larry 100%.

onmygame

[BARCHASER10]

Gee whiz, everybody always wants to go to extremes these days. Everybody has a tendency to blow off the top of their heads! Its a reflection of our extreme politics.

Salmon runs FLUCTUATE! In 2004 the PS Coho run was 1,456,875 and just two years later in 2006 it dropped down to 483,131 about 1/3 of what it was in 2004. Get a grip! Based on the last 20 years, the runs do come back.

[Bay wolf]

There is a constant truth that runs the entire length of our fisheries; It is a very emotional issue.

There are traditions, wages, jobs, memories, hobbies, lifestyle, and many, many other factors involved that contribute to the passions around our fish.

The driving force that will protect our fish and in-turn allow all the stakeholders some degree of peace is cooperation.

We cannot build cooperation through slander or mis-information. We cannot truly work together without some bridge of trust between us all. A house divided will fall, or in the fishes interest, fail.

I admit, some of my rhetoric can be harsh, after all, I'm also very passionate about the need to fix the problems of our broken co-management system. And although I have called out the Collective Tribal members over the transparency issue, I am also a realist and know they are not some monster that needs to be vanquished.

We are in very dynamic times, both in the Country and certainly in this State. Times of uncertainty and distrust. But it is exactly in times of crisis that Americans shine their brightest.

We, all of us, must work together, to save our fish. And I suspect it easier to put away differences and accept the extended hand of cooperation if that hand is not giving the finger.

[branweeds]

I agree with Larry 100%. onmygame

I certainly agree with Larry in some aspects, and I do not support accusing them of being bad people. If I had the chance to net fish to support my family I have no doubt that I would be doing it. But that doesn't mean that I should be allowed to. I do think they are a large part of the problem, obviously among many things we do (as you said). How is it at all ethical to stretch gill nets across the river in years with low salmon runs? It may not be the only thing wrong, but it can certainly be a frustrating thing to see when there is so much worry about the salmon runs in general, especially when we really do dump a lot of tax dollars into trying to improve them. How would you say that it is justified?

[BARCHASER10]

Bay Wolf, thank you for the post. The emotional part, count me in, I caught my first Chinook in 1954 at the age of 10! Emotions yes, but we also need to keep an even strain.

[BARCHASER10]

Something optimistic for a change. She is talking mostly about the C but it also applies to our runs. Problem with Coho is they are more vulnerable to warm water blob type conditions. Chinooks and Pinks are somewhat less vulnerable because they spend most of the their adult lives further north where the water is colder even in El Nino conditions. Coho spend their adult lives further south off of OR, WA and BC and are thus more vulnerable to El Nino warm water conditions. Warm water kills off the krill which is the basis of life, feed for smolts and for herring, pilchard etc. Less krill just means less food for Coho so they don't survive as well.


By Al Thomas, Columbian Outdoors Reporter

Published: March 2, 2017, 6:04 AM


OLYMPIA — Warm water temperatures in the north Pacific Ocean are starting to cool after three years, but their effect on Northwest salmon will persist for another year or two.

“Strange times, but things are looking up, that’s the message,’’ said Marisa Litz of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Litz made her comments on Tuesday at the agency’s annual unveiling of Columbia River, coastal and Puget Sound salmon forecasts. She recently completed her doctorate from Oregon State University in Fisheries Science, focusing on how variable ocean conditions affect growth and survival of young salmon in the Northwest.

Tuesday’s meeting began a six-week process that concludes with the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopting ocean salmon fishing seasons in mid-April.

The “blob,’’ a huge pool of warm water in the north Pacific Ocean, formed in December 2013, Litz said. Sea surface temperatures were 2 to 4 degrees warmer than normal.

El Nino warm-water conditions peaked in November 2015. A weak La Nina (cooler than normal), occurred in June 2016, she said.

With the warmer ocean water came a low biomass of the type of copepods good for the diet of salmon and a high biomass of southern copepods, which are not as beneficial, she said.

Strange sightings in 2015 and 2016 included tropical fish off Vancouver Island in British Columbia, ocean sunfish in Alaska and huge seabird die-offs in Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

Domoic acid, a natural marine toxin, has closed recreational and commercial razor clam fisheries on the West Coast.

Substantial cooling occurred between late October 2016 and Christmas, Litz said.

Currently, the ocean is in a “neutral’’ condition, neither El Nino or La Nina.

“If we remain in a neutral situation, things should be looking up,’’ Litz said.

Also helpful for salmon is the average snowpack this winter in the Cascade and Rocky Mountains.

The snowpack was a record-low in 2015 and the run-off was poor in 2016 when an average snowpack was melted early by a warm spring, she said.

Columbia River forecast — A return of 582,600 fall chinook salmon is forecast for 2017. That compares to 641,900 in 2016 and 1.3 million in 2015.

“It’s below recent average returns, but a run size of almost 600,000 is still decent for the Columbia River,’’ said Ron Roler, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The forecast for the popular upriver bright stock of fall chinook is 260,000, compared to 406,600 in 2016 and 919,000 in 2014.

Roler said he is optimistic about the upriver bright stock.

“I expect it to bounce back with good ocean and good outmigration conditions,’’ he said. “It’s a healthy stock.’’

A good return of 158,000 fall chinook to Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery on the Columbia River in eastern Skamania County is forecast. That compares to 44,600 in 2016.

That stock of chinook provides good catches in the ocean and at Buoy 10 in the estuary, but becomes much less desirable as the fish deteriorate when moving up the Columbia River, Roler said.

The Columbia coho forecast of 386,300 compares to the poor return of 259,000 in 2016.

Roler said the forecast is 71 percent of the 10-year average.

Coho releases in the Columbia River have dropped from almost 30 million in the 1970s through 1990s to fewer than 20 million in 2016.

Coho releases in to waters downstream of Bonneville Dam have dropped from 25.8 million in the 1970s to 10.9 million in 2016.

• The Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet beginning Wednesday at the Hilton Hotel Vancouver, 301 W. Sixth St., to adopt preliminary ocean salmon seasons.

A public meeting about the Columbia River fall seasons will begin at 9 a.m. March 24 at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way.

The PFMC will adopt the final ocean fishing season when it meets April 7 to 12 in Sacramento, Calif. Fall sport-fishing rules for Buoy 10 and the lower Columbia will be announced at the end of the PFMC process.













Al

[TrackerPro16]

I have been avoiding reading any more about the freeforall dumping of sewage that has been going on because it makes me sooooo angry. They make a huge deal about boats dumping then let that go on and on? 300 MILLION GALLONS! MILLION!!! AAAAARRRRRGGGGG!!!
That and the offshore international folks that don't give a rats behind about limits or saving the fish. AAAARRRRGGGG!!!!
Don't get me started!

[Larry3215]

Last year I asked for and got Coho run statistics that go back to 1981. It is a big table that is split into 8 or 9 different PS zones and not in a form where I can post a link to it. But if you want the entire stats send me a PM with your email address and I will forward it to you.

Recent summary PS Coho runs

Fish Year

1,058,577 89
1,207,674 90
685,940 91
686,276 92
447,837 93
969,673 94
725,523 95
529,188 96
631,012 97
696,676 98
367,215 99
1,017,920 00
1,400,210 01
956,956 02
1,087,251 03
1,456,875 04
771,780 05
483,131 06
665,785 07
438,482 08
681,006 09
398,930 10
737,345 11
969,927 12
900,030 13

559,000 puts the forecast at the low end going back to 1989, but six years were even lower (2010, 2008, 2006, 1999, 1996, 1993). The run size should support some kind of sport fishery if our tribal brothers agree that is.

Yes, it is not a great Coho run but I do not think its panic time. Runs do fluctuate. Coho runs got lower than this forecast before and still came back to near 1million in 12 and 13. If you look closely, lousy Coho runs occur in 4-5 years groups as do good Coho runs. I haven't tried to link them but I'll bet poor runs occur in multiple back to back El Nino years and good runs occur in multiple back to back La Nina years.

Most of the run variation is due to ocean conditions not local fisheries so I don't see that completely closing Coho sports fishing makes any sense.

If these runs die away it is because ocean conditions got too warm to support this fish species and that is the end of Coho salmon in the northwest.

I would like to get that data. I will PM you my email. Do you also have the data for Chinook over the same time period?

As you say, these recent low returns are still within the statistical range over the last 10 years. Clearly there isnt a steady consistent drop over time - which I what I expected to see. Instead, its obviously very cyclical. Id love to see if the Chinook data looks similar. If these cycles are environmental, I would expect to see similar dips at similar times in the Chinook data.

One thing really bothers me though. I know Im am catching far far fewer fish these days than I used to all over the Sound but especially in the southern areas. Ten years ago you expected to land at least one keeper off the Clay Banks any time you went out. Getting skunked was the exception to the rule. These days, getting a single bite is the exception to the rule. Its down to them counting individual fish some years even in area 9.

Those numbers dont reflect that reality. What am I missing?

[Onmygame]

I agree with Larry 100%. onmygame

I certainly agree with Larry in some aspects, and I do not support accusing them of being bad people. If I had the chance to net fish to support my family I have no doubt that I would be doing it. But that doesn't mean that I should be allowed to. I do think they are a large part of the problem, obviously among many things we do (as you said). How is it at all ethical to stretch gill nets across the river in years with low salmon runs? It may not be the only thing wrong, but it can certainly be a frustrating thing to see when there is so much worry about the salmon runs in general, especially when we really do dump a lot of tax dollars into trying to improve them. How would you say that it is justified?

Well, you have to take a few things into perspective, and also ask yourself why it is frustrating to see the nets in place -

The tribes, as well as non tribal fishermen, have each been allotted UP TO 50% of the HARVESTABLE fish. These would be fish that are targeted only after escapement goals have been met.

That the tribes are harvesting their share of the fish that they were awarded by the courts is to be expected, and should not be a source of stress or frustration.

In fact, if a person were a 'glass is half full' kind of guy, he might recognize the nets as meaning two things -

Escapement goals have been met, and there are fish to be had - and -

Time to gear up, the run is in!

Worrying about the runs is justified, but getting LARGER RETURNS is the goal - not stressing out over how the returning fish are divvied up. That was already established decades ago.

In my opinion the tribes in general have become good stewards of the resource, spending millions of dollars every year operating their hatcheries - which they do by the way, side by side with the state and federal government hatcheries.

That isn't to say that their group doesn't have their own bad actors, they do. But then so do we.

Take yourself out on any west side stream this mid August that enjoys a pink run, bring a couple of leaf / lawn bags with you, and while you're there - see if you can walk even 50 feet along the bank without filling one up with trash left behind by our sport fishing group. THAT is the kind of thing that frustrates me.

I myself would like to see better management from our WDFW, less loss of habitat, cleaner water, some real effort to combat global warming, more funds earmarked by the feds to accomplish these tasks, and last but not least - everyone to understand that many of these MIGRATORY fish are being taken outside of our state waters by commercials in areas where we have no jurisdiction. Salmon reared in WA state have been tracked in the past as far south as CA, as far north as AK, and as far west as Russian waters. They need a plan to protect these fish from the opportunists who are stripping international waters of our fish.

onmygame

[dj2loud]

While I agree with a few of your points, your blatant racism is inappropriate and doesnt help things at all. Its attitudes like yours that are the reason the tribes want the meetings closed. Spreading hate and racism accomplishes nothing good.

I am more getting the sense that he is against their ways of abusing our fishery, rather than disliking them for being Native American. I certainly would never hold anything against someone for being a different race than me, but I would say "F*ck Isis" for all of the immoral acts of terrorism they cause around the world. I see both sides, but I don't blame him at all for being mad at the Native Americans for their destruction of the ecosystem. Hell, by the time I have grand-kids, ( probably about 40 years) I may not even get the chance to teach them how to float some row down the river for a Coho, when that is one of the most memorable things I have to remember about my Grandpa.

Their ways of abusing our fishery?

What are you even talking about??

Do you mean the 53 tribal hatcheries they have up and running that are producing many of the fish you catch?

Our fish runs are declining due to international offshore commercial fishing, climate change, pollution, and on the home front - mismanagement of funds and resources by the WDFW.

It doesn't help that the City of Seattle in the past few weeks has to date dumped over 300 MILLION gallons of sewage into our Sound. This will have a HUGE adverse affect on the fish, as it is already hard enough for juvenile salmon to make the transition from freshwater to saltwater as they head towards sea.

As to the other poster full of bigoted vitriol - I wouldn't even hazard a guess what motivates him to post such nonsense.

I agree with Larry 100%.

onmygame

So let me set you straight so you can clearly see my frustration....

Nooksack.....

1st there was 11 nets that we counted from the north fork of the nooksack, all the way down to slater road that were in the water with not a single native or commercial fisherman for over a week.... They fished day and night and were never checked, or pulled out... Fish were lost, killed and left to rot.... The nets were caught on logs, tree's and on the shores..... I do believe Mr. Horning can attest to his findings this year as well....

2nd even after wdfw was contacted not a damn this was done about em... There was nets down at the deming bridge that were secured in the water by an engine block, rotors from a large truck, tire irons and chains... All which were leaving a oil sheen off of them.... The response from Officer Taylor Kimball WDFW was as follows, " because there is a native fishery on the nooksack river at this time, no action will be taken.. If after the fishery is over and the materials are left, we can then issue citations or further enforcement." Basically they won't do anything....

3 We floated the nooksack for a straight week and only one of those days did I manage anything at all, after the nets went in the fish disappeared...

4.... and this is the big one so read up .... The natives didn't provide me a damn thing this year, I can say thank you to the Bellingham technical college for the supply of chum at whatcom creek....

the samish only provided 1 king and the nooksack only a single coho.... So whom am i to thank???

5 - We fished the nook pretty much EVERY DAY FOR OVER A 3 MONTH PERIOD AND only ended up with 1 coho.... 1 !!!!!!!


You can say oh, you used the wrong bait, lure or rod and reel combo all you want, come see my tackle boxes, lures, cure's, bait etc and lets talk.... I can be met anywhere from Maple falls in whatcom all the way to seattle.....


Oh and let me also say that the so called hatcheries are full of SHI@.... Tell me why WDFW has not posted any information on the kendall creek hatchery steelhead count? As of today there still is 0 catch reported even though there was 80+ in the pens per the ops manager at the hatchery... So we had no season at all for even catch and release on the nook for steel...... Not to mention all the other local closures for steel and salmon...

[BARCHASER10]

Larry, email sent. I only fish 8&9, I never have fished the south sound so I don't know much about the Coho fishing there. Our Coho fishing in 8&9 was very good for years except obviously for 2016. Even in 2015 we got limits of Coho but they were really small fish. I do remember when there were poor runs in the 90's. WDFW shut down 9,10 and everything down south for Coho. Human nature being what it is all the boats ganged up on the 8/9 boundary at the Shipwreck.

Historically I think the WDFW was always more fearful of the south sound Coho runs.

[Bay wolf]

Cloud, I would really like to see some pictures of these infractions. Not calling you out, or calling BS. I just could use some "proof" of these violations.

We've heard a lot of stories, but very few concert evidence in the way of video or pictures.

Please, anybody who see's any such things. Take pictures, document the dates, times and exact location. Try to verify what your seeing. Create a phone record by calling it in to WDFW enforcement, even if they don't respond, at least their is a record.

We can compile this information and get it to the press...

[dj2loud]

Actually been done over and over Bay..... Photos were sent top WDFW and WDFW DID NOTHING AT ALL...... LET ME SAY IT AGAIN SO YOU CLEARLY READ WHAT IM SAYING OVER AND OVER.....


NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT CAUSE WDFW WON'T DO ANYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!

No one cares because of the $$$$$$$+




We have been complaining for years, what has it done so far??/

Heres from a few years ago as well.......

So it has come to my attention after spending a lot of time on the Nooksack the past few weeks that the netting of the river is sort of a serious problem. I have seen some horrifying sights this year. 5 dead coho choked by nets and simply tossed into the shallows, 3 of them being native, nets left in the river with nobody tending them, 2 times have seen nets just floating down the river dragging tons of debris, many derelict nets lying in piles on the shorelines, several jumbled nets floating around in the shallows...

I stumbled upon this slightly aged, but nonetheless disturbing find today, give it a read...

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/foru ... 955/1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't mean any disrespect to the natives, but this is really poor stewardship. They do a lot for our fisheries as well. But some of the accounts here are appalling. Many natives are misusing their right to net the rivers, and it's harming the populations of fish. It's even more frustrating seeing first hand the results of this netting. Even days where the rivers are closed for netting there are nets in the river. Nobody attends to them and they kill fish. Many of these net sites also have an abundance of garbage lying around them. This is sad. This is not being a steward of the river or environment.

I have been emailing WDFW on these concerns and regulations lately and it is difficult to enforce since the tribes are a sovereign nation and have their own rules that they are supposed to follow and work along with state agencies for regulations, but as you see as well that doesn't work out so great. If you can take any photos of any illegal nets thatd be awesome. I really want to start a community of fisherman capturing these illegal activities to possible get some kind of news on this subject and hold responsible parties for damaging the environment while fisheries get shut down to law abiding sports fisherman allowed 2-6 fish a day (depending on the river). I think if there was enough evidence over time showing the blatant destruction and disregard for our ecosystems and regulations it could be a story brought into politics and the public eye instead of us lonely sport fisherman watching this depletion with no power. I see all of your posts and feel the same way about our fisheries and regulations.

[wlai]

Dj2loud you sure live up to your name. I also do have trouble believing that you fished 3 months or 90 days, every day, all for one coho. Why were you doing, needing to waste your time?? Asking for punishment?