|
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."
|
|