The State Takes More Food Away From My Family....

[snowpack]

If the Sierra Club is so concerned about fish, then why don't they support culling a couple thousand CA Sealions and some seals? 

They do...if it's the whales eating them.

[bearpaw]

It is really a shame that WDFW has to be run that way.  Why do we have to constantly attend meetings and give public input to WDFW instead of them just doing the right thing without us having to watch them like a hawk.?  I just hate that it has to be this way...........

I agree 110%, I'm sick of having to take my time to "protect" hunting and fishing opportunities. WDFW is being paid to manage fish & wildlife utilizing scientific data to maximize recreational oportunities. Instead they are a tool for all the green groups.

[Blacktail Sniper]

It is really a shame that WDFW has to be run that way.  Why do we have to constantly attend meetings and give public input to WDFW instead of them just doing the right thing without us having to watch them like a hawk.?  I just hate that it has to be this way...........

I agree 110%, I'm sick of having to take my time to "protect" hunting and fishing opportunities. WDFW is being paid to manage fish & wildlife utilizing scientific data to maximize recreational oportunities. Instead they are a tool for all the green groups.

On that note, would it be better if all decisions were made arbitarily and behind closed doors and just dropped in place?  No chance for any in input from user groups?  Everyone, including the green groups and anti-hunters have their ideas as to what is the right thing to do.

Not every group is ever going to be 100% happy or in agreement, but at least having the chance to provide input shouldn't be something that is complained about, I would think.   

[magnanimous_j]

Oh my god! Not every inconvenience is a liberal conspiracy.

A lot of fisheries in the world are suffering greatly due to overfishing. America does a generally pretty good job of managing ours.

What would you rather have: Closing a season for a couple years to reduce pressure on a species that's getting close to being threatened, or overfishing a species and have it take decades to recover?

[lokidog]

Oh my god! Not every inconvenience is a liberal conspiracy.

A lot of fisheries in the world are suffering greatly due to overfishing. America does a generally pretty good job of managing ours.

What would you rather have: Closing a season for a couple years to reduce pressure on a species that's getting close to being threatened, or overfishing a species and have it take decades to recover?

The problem with "Closing a season for a couple years..."  is that it will never be reopened!  In Sierra's own report it says they "are not a species of concern", so why essentially shut the fishery down?  WHy not collect more data, like actual catch information, or pretend "bycatch" surveys done by biased groups like the Sierra Club?

For those of you complaining about the new regs,how many commission meetings in Olympia did you attend?

For one, I never saw this anywhere in their meeting/comment period notifications, though I may have missed it and, well, here you go...

I agree 110%, I'm sick of having to take my time to "protect" hunting and fishing opportunities. WDFW is being paid to manage fish & wildlife utilizing scientific data to maximize recreational oportunities. Instead they are a tool for all the green groups.

All you P Sound bottom fishers, how many of the "endangered" rockfish (canary, yelloweye, and bocaccio) have you caught in the last three years since the depth restriction of 120' was put in place?

There ARE ways to minimize protected bycatch, the big one being the depth restriction, these fisheries do not need to be curtailed any more than the already restrictive limits that were in place.

[Smossy]

It is really a shame that WDFW has to be run that way.  Why do we have to constantly attend meetings and give public input to WDFW instead of them just doing the right thing without us having to watch them like a hawk.?  I just hate that it has to be this way...........

Oh my god! Not every inconvenience is a liberal conspiracy.

A lot of fisheries in the world are suffering greatly due to overfishing. America does a generally pretty good job of managing ours.

What would you rather have: Closing a season for a couple years to reduce pressure on a species that's getting close to being threatened, or overfishing a species and have it take decades to recover?

The problem with "Closing a season for a couple years..."  is that it will never be reopened!  In Sierra's own report it says they "are not a species of concern", so why essentially shut the fishery down?  WHy not collect more data, like actual catch information, or pretend "bycatch" surveys done by biased groups like the Sierra Club?

For those of you complaining about the new regs,how many commission meetings in Olympia did you attend?

For one, I never saw this anywhere in their meeting/comment period notifications, though I may have missed it and, well, here you go...

I agree 110%, I'm sick of having to take my time to "protect" hunting and fishing opportunities. WDFW is being paid to manage fish & wildlife utilizing scientific data to maximize recreational oportunities. Instead they are a tool for all the green groups.

All you P Sound bottom fishers, how many of the "endangered" rockfish (canary, yelloweye, and bocaccio) have you caught in the last three years since the depth restriction of 120' was put in place?

There ARE ways to minimize protected bycatch, the big one being the depth restriction, these fisheries do not need to be curtailed any more than the already restrictive limits that were in place.

0. But all the fishing is done from piers. Even Indianolas infamous 300ft pier.
Got some shocking sizes on sole and flounder though! Never seems to be a lack of sole.

[uplandhunter870]

Oh my god! Not every inconvenience is a liberal conspiracy.

A lot of fisheries in the world are suffering greatly due to overfishing. America does a generally pretty good job of managing ours.

What would you rather have: Closing a season for a couple years to reduce pressure on a species that's getting close to being threatened, or overfishing a species and have it take decades to recover?

my dog in this issue is about the size of a chiwawa since i fish over there only a couple times a year but what i would rather see is the DFW managing with hard science and real numbers and publishing that data to support management decisions. wildlife management isnt a soft science like politics or sociology its a hard science that should be driven by numbers and statistics if DFW wants to suspend or close harvest of a given species i want to see the numbers and science that got them to the decision not a letter from an organization like the sierra club saying "this would be a good move because it fits better with our organizations motto of 'look but dont touch'"

over fishing is an issue in many parts of the world but at least the organizations involved in the management of those over fished fisheries publish actual numbers and harvest quotas, when was the last time the DFW published any sort of real verified numbers on anything

[BigGoonTuna]

i'm really starting to notice WDFW in recent years has been imposing draconian cuts in fishing seasons, then they'll wait a year, and pile on even more in the same areas, citing how great of a success their restrictions have been!  just look at their BS "stream strategy" regulations if you need examples.  all streams in puget sound and on the coast are now closed unless specifically open -- no more general seasons.

just think of all the fishing opportunity we've lost in just the past 5 years.  it's sickening.

[FisherKing]

Hmm,
Well I think if one looks at the biology of rockfish you can see the problem. They don't migrate, they're territorial and they don't have a high rate of reproduction. It sucks yes but some species just can't handle alot of fishing pressure.  Look what happend to the cod run in agate passage. Anyone remember the butt load that you use to be able to catch, I do. Now that run is gone decimated by over fishing.


There's plenty of fish in the sea just may take more work to catch.

[Kola16]

All you P Sound bottom fishers, how many of the "endangered" rockfish (canary, yelloweye, and bocaccio) have you caught in the last three years since the depth restriction of 120' was put in place?

Two canaries on the same day..........you asked  And btw...they were released in perfectly great condition 

Hmm,
Well I think if one looks at the biology of rockfish you can see the problem. They don't migrate, they're territorial and they don't have a high rate of reproduction. It sucks yes but some species just can't handle alot of fishing pressure.  Look what happend to the cod run in agate passage. Anyone remember the butt load that you use to be able to catch, I do. Now that run is gone decimated by over fishing.


There's plenty of fish in the sea just may take more work to catch.

A cabbie is not really a rockfish....well it is, but it isn't 

[lokidog]

Hmm,
Well I think if one looks at the biology of rockfish you can see the problem. They don't migrate, they're territorial and they don't have a high rate of reproduction. It sucks yes but some species just can't handle alot of fishing pressure.  Look what happend to the cod run in agate passage. Anyone remember the butt load that you use to be able to catch, I do. Now that run is gone decimated by over fishing.


There's plenty of fish in the sea just may take more work to catch.

Yes, rockfish are slow producers, but I know for a fact that a 12 to 14 incher will produce thousands of eggs, so a slot limit of 14 to 20 or 22 inches would protect both the younger, small breeders and the old breeders.  With a depth restriction on fishing, incidental mortality would be less and the catch of protected yellow eye and canaries would be low as well.  If the state really cared about yellow eye rockfish, they would have included a picture of a juvenile 20 years ago in theire rockfish ID guide in the regs since the juveniles look different than the adults.

As far as cod go, true cod I assume you are referring to, it was the massive commercial fishing in the 70's and 80's that decimated their populations along with pretty much unregulated sport fishing (I was not here then and this is my understanding from long time PS fishermen).

And, yes, there are plenty of fish in the sea, we are just not allowed to keep any of them....   

Kola, you are correct Cabs are not in the Sebastes family which are the Rockfishes.  They are inn the Sculpin family.

[lokidog]

They caved a little to all the calls it looks like - •   The fishing season for cabezon in Marine Area 4 will be open year-round, while the season in marine areas 5-11 and 13 will be open May 1-Nov. 30. The previously adopted rule would have reduced the fishing season for cabezon in all those areas to May 1 through June 15. The commission also directed the department to initiate a separate rule process to seek public comments and allow for further commission discussion on restricting the cabezon season to May 1 through June 15 in those areas.
The commission did, however, keep a new rule that will reduce the daily catch limit of cabezon to one fish in those marine areas and prohibit the retention of cabezon measuring less than 18 inches in length.

Which is funny because I think it used to be only open through October.   

Too bad they weinered the shark fishermen though with their revisions....

[Special T]

How are the going to pay their own wages when they get done screwing them selves with both fish and game?

[snowpack]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/cabezon/
I guess they will try again with this.

[lokidog]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/cabezon/
I guess they will try again with this.

Yeah, saw that, this time they will at least PRETEND  to kiss us before they, well ... , you know the rest.