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As we move into the next millennia, I believe we have a great opportunity in building our fisheries........if we will. I hear lots of talk about pumping millions of dollars into our system, to enhance our fisheries. You want to talk about enhancement? Ok, let’s talk.
Now, before we get going, lets establish some common ground. Our state agencies have been pathetically run for many years. Last figure I heard was something over twenty million dollars in dept. BTW, all those that think that Bern Shanks ran up that kind of bill in 1 1/2 years, I have some property I would like to show you. The Wildlife Department has come to the conclusion that the reason people stopped fishing, and therefore stopped buying licenses, because they cost too much. Wrong, People stopped buying licenses because they ran out of fish!
So what’s the answer? Imagine this, you have a poor struggling business, that has been in the family for years. You are barely making it from month to month. In desperation, you take your last dollars and hire a high power consultant to see if there is any chance of turning your business around. So he takes your books, takes your money, writes a 5" thick document and finally sits you down for a meeting. You are excited! By the expression on his face, you think maybe you may be able to keep your business after all.
He says, "Look", as he pushes the fat document out of the way. "Mr. Johnson, I don’t know how to tell you this.......but the best thing you could do is go on vacation".
Dumbfounded you sit back in your chair. You glance over at the fat white document.
You say, "I don’t understand?"
He says, "Mr. Johnson, this business will run itself, only problem is, you just keep getting in the way."
You see, our wild steelhead stock should be classified as the eighth natural wonder. The way they have been mismanaged, it is a wonder they are even here at all. All we have to do is let them spawn. In case you haven’t read the last editorial, I will recap.
"Know thy enemy". The biggest negative impact on our fisheries resource is found in two classifications: Over harvesting- meaning killing our wild fish and Environmental Impacts. Harvest groups can be further classified by: any person, group or operation that relies on the killing our wild fish. Net fisheries, Indian and non Indian, and personal subsistence fishermen (I refuse to call them sportsman) and the like. I don't know if you can even appreciate the size of their lobby. This group starts in the grass roots of your you local fishing clubs, fostered by your Wildlife Department personnel, directed by your almost entirely commercial harvest driven Wildlife Commission, and legislated by a state congress that are made up of powerful commercial fishing families! Couple this with the federal pressures and you have a powerful foe.
Did you know for example, that a reason we have given up our Puget Sound Coho and Chinook to the Canadian harvest is because OUR commercial fleets won’t get off Canada’s Frazier River Sockeye? If it doesn’t hit home yet, wait until the feds come in and shut down every Puget Sound stream that harbors a wild Chinook in the name of conservation. Nice trade off, huh?
Wait it gets worse. The anti-environmental lobby is just as deadly and we are all partakers. We complain about logging but I live in a stick-framed house, We complain about the dams but we turn on our lights. All want to live in our own home, but complain when we read that due to industry and development, Port Susan- Port Gardner has had 87% of its primary salmonid nursery area destroyed, since 1940. We seem to want all the benefits but do not take responsibility for the costs. I think we are gaining ground here.
Now it really gets bad. The harvest people are absolutely convinced that if we could regulate our habitat problems, that would alleviate our fisher concerns. The Environment impactors are just as quick to demonstrate that if we were not over harvesting our fish, there would be plenty for everyone. STOP! This is like a bad divorce. As long as both sides are convinced that the other IS the problem......nothing is done,
What can we do?
First, we can get educated. We have to come to a resolution to save our wild fish, and it starts with me. My mission statement is simple. "IF IT HAS AN ADIPOSE FIN, IT MUST BE WILD, IF IT IS WILD, IT MUST GO BACK IN THE WATER ALIVE."
Second, we must recognize certain groups, agency personnel, commissioners, and government officials for what they are. If they target kill fisheries on our wild fish, then we must deal with them. Sportsman can be reeducated, we can help them keep the law, use good streamside manners, respect their right to fish, etc. Educate your fishing groups that wild fish release to more than some novelty extra fishing season for the snooty steelhead flyfishers. Talk about all the positive effects it has had on your trout waters, and how it can do the same for your steelhead and salmon waters. Find reasons to unite our fishing groups not excuses to fragment.
Third, Wildlife agency personnel will admit their position is more political than biological, but like it or not, they ARE setting regulations to kill our wild fish. Find out who is behind the policy making in your local kill fishery, who is making those recommendations to the commission. Ask the hard questions. Invite them to your club meeting. Let them know that wild fish release IS what Joe public will want if the agency will simply manage for the release of wild fish. If all you get is excuses and mumbo gumbo, then maybe its time to give them their gold watch and send them on their way. Haven’t you ever wondered why the Wildlife Department itself, hasn’t done a better job about educating the public, about the benefits of wild fish release? Simply, they don’t believe in it. They seem to be about as good in managing our fish as they are in managing their money. Gold watch time. Fourth, Mass marking all our hatchery production IS a good idea. Who cares what stream that fish is headed back for? If its wild, it lives.
Fifth: Barbless and baitless, hook and release is a valuable management tool. Anyone who tells you different is uninformed. So if C&R is so wonderful, how come we haven’t seen the effects today? We do in our trout fisheries, and we did in mid eighties on the Skagit system. Then why not now? Analogy: Interjecting a Catch and Release fishery at the end of a kill fishery, is like taking two diet bars at the end of a big meal, then complaining they don’t work, because you didn’t lose weight! Silly, you were supposed to take them instead. When and if we can actually manage for wild fish....let them spawn, they will return.
Sixth: Open not closed. "Closed waters are poachers water". When we first opened the Sauk river to C&R in the mid eighties, everyone thought for sure it was going to be, "Catch and Run." Turns out the only ones who were complaining was the local boys at the mill, because they used to have the whole river to themselves, to kill as they pleased. Said there was too many guys watching, anymore.
Think about it. We have some world class fisheries in this state that go for begging, while a zillion guys crawl all over each other, on rivers like the Skykomish. Spread out the pressure with responsible anglers (not poachers) and you will maximize angling recreation and minimize mortality. This idea of kill all the wild steelhead until February 28th and then close it down, is just that, a bad idea. What we need to do, it open MORE waters and help the angler govern himself.
Seventh: Enforcement: I will be the first to admit, we need better enforcement, On All Our Rivers! And its not just for the fisherman. Do you know what its like for Mrs. Brown to watch all those steelhead swimming next to her front lawn, on the north Fork Stilly? One of the very worst poachers is the local landowner who can just slip off his porch and drop a line. Do you really think taking the responsible angler off the river will help? Wrong again.
What we really need to do with all that fisheries enhancement money, is beef up our Law Enforcement on our streams. Run training classes for county and state police on busting poachers, like they do in Montana and Idaho. Make enforcement a priority and I guarantee you, all us that consider our fisheries a valuable resource will carry our cell phones on the river. But Please, when we call in a slime ball, at least give us the impression SOMETHING is being done! I know I would much rather see that money go into Law Enforcement then that million dollar log jam, fisheries built on the North Fork last year. Lets send a message we are taking our streams back!
Now lets cut the crap, the guys who wants to continue the "Kill and Close", just can’t stand the thought of someone out there enjoying a recreational fishery that they CHOOSE not to participate in. Now I ask you, does that sound fair? What killer Joe is really afraid of, is when Mr. Public finally realizes that we really can have MORE fish, and MORE recreation by simply releasing them, his kill fishery will go away. He feels threatened. Its OK Joe, releasing fish will only hurt for a little while.
I remember taking my father to the quality lakes in eastern Washington for their first time. He is a Wyoming boy, and I don’t think he has ever released a fish over 10" in his life. I was really nervous! I will have to admit, he moaned and groaned a little bit at first, but it didn’t take him long to realize, as he was handling another big rainbow, he was having the time of his life. Now the funny part is, later that afternoon, some migrant farm boys show up, and start whacking fish. My dad sees this, and he absolutely goes ballistic! I thought he was going to get us both killed! Funny how he changed his philosophy about killing fish, in a days fishing. If my dad can, anyone can.
Eighth: We have got to get some representation, if not equal representation, in our Wildlife Commission. If the commercial interests are running the show, obviously, our wild fish don’t stand a chance. "Kill it and close it" has got us into this mess. It is time for a change. . Ask the hard questions, get involved.
Ninth: We need to be better educated on the stands of our elected officials, no, we need to do a better job in voting in people who are willing to do what is right.
Finally, we need to do what we can. If you can fish, invite someone of influence to fish. I know what a joke those public forum meetings are, but huddling around our little fishing groups and complaining, is not working, either. If you are in a club, educate your members. How about sitting down with club reps. from other groups, that you think you can reach a common ground? Call your representative, give your opinion.
"Mr. Johnson, your business will run just fine....just give it a chance."
Dennis Dickson
http://www.flyfishsteelhead.com
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