Poll - Can Northwest Fishing Survive With No Hatchery Fish?

[Chinook SSSF]

A 100% non biased opinion poll asking Northwest fisherman and woman if they believe that the Northwest fishing scene and the fishing industry [to inlcude lodges, tackle manufacturers, boat builders, guides, outfitters, web communities and other fishing related vested interests] can survive with or without hatchery fish?


Recent cuts in the Mitchell Act funding are causing drastic reductions in federal run hatcheries in Oregon. Biological concerns have resulted in further cut backs in hatchery production in other areas funded by the state. Safe zone areas are being considered to allow limited salmon production for both sport and commercial interests, this production will not include steelhead and would be limited to larger river industry based boat fisheries. Reduced opportunities could mean less license and industry dollars and could in turn result in loss of advocay funding and general interest in Northwest sportfishing.

This could cause a collapse of the entire industry?

Can we survive with hatchery salmon alone?

Can the Northwest fishing scene and industry survive in a world of wild and/or native fish only?

What is your opinion?

Please vote in Poll above.

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To keep this Poll non biased, SSSF administration and myself will not vote.

MC

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[williesteal17]

I think if this is something that would happen statewide alot less fishing gear boats people traveling to there different fishingspots will be effected . Alot of money moves around Oregon because of the hatchery fish that you can keep. Fishing Guides would also be affected , and there is alot of drift boat and sled makers in oregon that could see a drop in sales . Yes you could still practice catch and release with native fish but most Anglers fish to keep the steehead that they can fish for yearround..

[scudrunner]

I am not a biologist, but I play one on TV!

Now with the disclaimer out of the way, I think that it is possible to manage a 100% native river, however difficult.

The Kenai River is a great model. While plagued with its own set of problems (most deal with allocative issues). The bio's are regulated to manage the river to maintain maximum sustained yield. So, they have to authority to restrict commerical and/or sport fishing (even subsistence) in order to protect the run.

Certianly, the Kenai has its ups and downs, but overall, is manages quite well. It is a tight rope balancing act to say the least, but they seem to pull it off.

Decisions are based on sonar counts, test net results, commerical ex-vessel counts, and sportfishing creel counts.

Presently, the Kenai boasts a goal of between 500K and 750K (optimum) sockeye and 35-75K chinook.

Bottom line, Kenai is 100% native, and highly exploited, and presently maintaining MSY.

[FireFish]

Matt, no hatchery fish production for some rivers, may be possible if it is a plan that develops over the next 25 yrs.
I know changes are coming for both Washington and Oregon. If Oregon is able to push through the safe area harvest for the commercials on the Columbia, that's a start. In Washington our Gov. is pushing hard for hatchery reform and Selective Harvest. The Treaty's that have been revamped with Alaska and Canada, are in an effort to return a Million plus Chinook to Washington over the next several years. That is in an effort to bost higher returns to Washington State and so a high percentage of fish don't get taken by the Northen Commercials. I think Scudrunners point on the Keni is valid, however I don't know of any other river system that is so closely monitored. If in the future State and Federal Governments can afford to manage/monitor each system independent of itself, then perhaps you can move towards major reductions in Hatchery reduced fish. Bottom line is, I think some systems will deffinately remain 100% hatchery produced fish. The world's demand for Salmon on the market won't decrease anytime soon and the commercial fleets will need to provide that demand...

FireFish...

[XtremeNW]

Let a native fish or a hatchery fish live in the wild for eight or more years. What would you have? A true native fish...

[seamslayer]

We can keep steelhead and salmon in the rivers without the hatcheries, but I think that is to much to ask from the crowds I see. Lodges and guides market to people living far away, and to them steelhead are unheard of. Guides are hired and these out of towner's come in and kill the wild trophy sized fish they have caught, because they think it will acent their brick fireplace mantle nicley. They will come and leave without ever realizing the significance of their actions. Pretty soon they are annual customers, followed shortly by their brothers, cousins and freinds. In addition, commercial quotas would have to be next to none, and angling regulations would be in serious reform. With the generous limits today it makes me sick to see how prevalent poaching is. These things are difficult issues to correct. So, fish runs can survive without hatcheries, but we will need people willing to crack down and put in the time to reach these goals.

Let a native fish or a hatchery fish live in the wild for eight or more years. What would you have? A true native fish...

A hatchery fish that breeds and has returning offspring may technically be native due to its adipose fin, but they lack everything else. Thousand of years have left only the strongest genes, and it shows. When you hook a native eight pound steelhead that fights like a fifteen pound hatchery fish, the difference is clear.

[Ed Fast]

I had to be truthful and vote that fishing would survive if it were managed for wild fish only.

However.... I certainly don't think it would be the best plan. In fact, it would be near disastrous and, due to lack of license sales and public interest, ODFW would possibly not survive it! I know plenty of people that would never buy a license if there were no hatchery fish to keep and plenty that already quit buying licenses years ago and grumble about the good ol' days.

Truthfully, I'd hardly ever fish the Sandy River if it weren't for hatchery summer steelies. I'd fish in Washington or coastal rivers if it were wild fish only.

Anyway, one could go on and on about all the different scenarios so, to sum it up: Get the balance right and work towards realistic wild fish management and do it when and where possible. In the meantime, keep enough hatchery fish to keep the public interested and buying licenses, otherwise we could lose it all.

the latter was an off the cuff editorial opinion and doesn't necessarily mean anything.



Ed

[klamathsteel]

Gillnets are not selective. They need to go away first and foremost.

[David Johnson]

There are quite a few systems that have gone to wild fish only and so far there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of increase in the numbers of fish

[seamslayer]

There is a river in California, I belive it is the Matole? Anyway it is soley C&R and there is absolutly no hatchery impact. This river has one of the best runs of steelhead in the area. This should serve as an example for other areas.