Kill and Close

I was visiting friends at a party a short time ago. As often times happens, the conversation turned to fishing.

He says, "Well, if the numbers of steelhead are as low as they say, maybe it would be best, just to shut it all down for a few years, let the fish have a break" I said nothing.

Where a fishing moratorium sounds like a good idea at the onset, it simply won't fix the problem.

You see, the problem isn't just a matter of experiencing a poor return, its examining why. State and Tribal managers will agree the steelhead populations are low. They are also, so totally focused.....that the environment is the cause, and if we had better habitat conditions, that we wouldn't be running the danger of overharvesting our steelhead. The fact of the matter is; until we address the issue of problems we have created in maximum sustained yield (MSY), (harvesting off the surplus), talking about habitat is just that.....talk. Won't do much good to build a street of dreams......and have nobody to move in.

So wouldn't a moratorium fix all that? Yes.....and no. You see, if you could get the State and Tribes to agree to stop killing wild steelhead (they didn't stop this year)......and you won't, the relief would be only short term. Theoretically, you stop fishing,.....the fish return. The harvest managers would still have to completely re-orient their management model, or the population would simply be harvested back to patheticness. Just like the obese person who loses weight on a starvation diet, the problem simply returns, unless he is willing to change his eating habits. So goes the fish.

Closed waters are poacher waters: It would certainly make sense, that the easiest way to regulate a river, is the close it to fishing. Anyone out fishing, would have to be illegal. I wish it were that simple. Study after study has demonstrated, the angler who actually kills the fish, hurts the population......is the local boy, who lives nearby. This guy is not stupid. He knows the game warden has a huge area to patrol. The warden simply doesn't have time to do much more than just a drive-by to bridges, and popular put-ins or take-outs. Poacher Dick simply slides a boat in at his cousins house and floats down to some Boondocks take-out. The best enforcement we have ever had, is C&R anglers on the river. More eyes, more water covered. Poacher Dick knows it well. Closing the river and assuming Dick won't be there, is like hoping a burglar won't come in .....because there is no one home. Lets see now........for every steelhead he kills is the equivalent to 20-25 steelhead, brought to hand, and released.

Poor Track record: The fact of the matter is, Killing off the early returning fish, then closing down the sport fishery is nothing new....we have been regulated this way for years. Time ago, wild steelhead entered as early as November. WDFW started their hatchery steelhead program, and by the 1970's, the wild component was harvested off, along with the hatchery brats. Question for you? If this Maximum Sustained Yield, is so good for the steelhead, why do we have fewer steelhead?

Poor genetics: As I have mentioned on occasion, the early returners are the large dominant males. Nature did this on purpose. Harvest people continue to cripple the numbers of the very genetics steelhead need to maintain and strong and viable population. Harvesting off the early portion of the run year after year (see your 2000-2001 fishing regulations) is simply poor stewardship.

Lost opportunity: Years ago I used to fish and guide the Wenatchee River. Many a fond memory, rattles around in my little brain about that gentle Eastern Washington stream, and I am not alone. Sometimes, I swear, I can still smell the mix of Cheat grass, Sage, and apple orchards. It disturbs me very much, that the trend is fewer waters, and more angler plying for them. It is simply hard to quantify, the ripple effect, all those who have built a standing tradition, to fish a great river, such as the Sauk, Skagit or the Skykomish. I am a guide, I make a living off this fish, so I feel a stewardship to do what I can, to take care of it. Most anglers feel the same. If you want to talk economics, you should consider the commerce that travels near and far, to fish these great fish. Stop the fishery, and many people will simply turn their attention to other waters, other activities. Is this so bad? It's not bad until you need their support, to convince your State department, your B&B, the gas station attendant, motel owner.....that it is hurting all of us. How can we protect our fisheries, vote on legislation, if we are not willing or able to become part of it. It is only those things we are passionate about, that we are willing to fight for. Simply, the idea of killing off our wild steelhead, and then closing it down, is just that.......a bad idea.

Stories and Articles Index

Home

Dennis Dickson Fly Fishing Steelhead Guide dddicksons@aol.com

WEB design by Sandy Lockleer  www.magicwebsolutions.com

copyright 1998 Dennis Dickson, Fly Fishing