Comparisons of Over 60 Years of Winter Steelhead Trends at Two NW Rivers

Skagit River steelhead harvests in 1951-60 averaged 15,000, nearly all wild. The 2001-10 combined harvests of wild and hatchery steelhead averaged 1,500. This loss coincides with a 1994-2007 average of 450,000 hatchery steelhead smolts planted annually in the Skagit - 6,235,000 total. At $1 per hatchery smolt, $6.23 million was spent in 14 years with resulting 90 percent loss of harvest once provided by wild steelhead 50 years ago.

NF Umpqua River wild winter runs of steelhead without hatchery winter steelhead plants have remained stable for 64 years with a return average of 7,150 wild steelhead per year.  Steelhead harvest has been similarly stable at 1,200 steelhead per year for 40 years.  This record of sustainability has come at no public cost.

Rebuilding wild steelhead populations means more fishing opportunity.

Biologists Study Impacts Of Juvenile Steelhead Release Methods In Methow, Connection To Adult Return

Further proof hatchery steelhead suck.

Their research suggests that juvenile hatchery steelhead that fail to emigrate of their own volition tend to hang out in the stream as “residual” hatchery steelhead, crowding and competing for food in the stream they share with wild steelhead that are often listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Their conclusion is that it is better not to release these fish into the native stream at all.

LINK (via: CBB Bulletin)

You can have my hatcheries when you remove my cold dead hands

A full house of hatchery supporters and "fly flickers."

"The level of disrespect was the worse I've ever experienced."

A comment from one wild fish advocate regarding the interruptions from some of the pro hatchery contingent who attended last night's WDFW public meeting.

Two popular North Puget Sound rivers closing for steelhead fishing

Two northern Puget Sound rivers are closing from Jan. 6-31 for steelhead since hatcheries aren’t meeting winter steelhead spawning escapement goals.

LINK (via: The Seattle Times)

The Olympic Penninsula is not fairing much better.

Don't Let Hatchery Advocates Hijack WDFW's Gene Bank Process

The WDFW was on the verge of designating the Wind, East Fork Lewis, Green and North Fork Toutle Rivers as wild steelhead gene banks based on recommendations of an advisory group the WDFW convened on the subject of wild steelhead recovery.

Now, thanks to pressure from the CCA, the WDFW has extended the comment period and is holding a second public meeting on the issue next week in Centralia. Needless to say this is bullshit and it's critical that wild steelhead advocates come out in force next week in Centralia.

Osprey Steelhead News has all the gory details.

Maybe it's time for pitchforks and torches?

The track record of the WDFW when it comes to protecting wild steelhead is pathetic. I've now lived in the state for 10 years and by every measure their policies have been a dismal failure. Guess it must be a coincidence that the state leads the world in hatchery production. When well thought out proposals for no more wild kill, or managing the shit show on the Olympic Peninsula were put forward the WDFW's response was to not even give those proposals a fair hearing. Now with an opportunity to close the book on a few wild steelhead gene banks the department caves to pressure from hatchery advocates and extends the dialog.

Now you tell me where their priorities lie....

Research Suggests Wild Columbia/Snake Steelhead Do Better Than Hatchery As Repeat Spawners

Further proof hatchery steelhead suck.

Naturally born steelhead trout of both “winter” and “summer” stocks from the Columbia/Snake river system that try a second run at spawning do much better than their hatchery origin peers, according to preliminary research results presented Tuesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Anadromous Fish Evaluation Program annual review in Walla Walla, Wash.

LINK (via:CBB Bulletin)