Washington bass, walleye fishing limits liberalized in response to orca crisis

[bassquatch]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery chinook production is actually now being funded because of the orca issue.

Alright, so on to step two when?

NEVER! These idiots don't give a rat's red ass about saving salmon! It's all about land grabs and generating revenue, always has been always will be!

The pikeminnow crap has accomplished nothing but wasted time and money, so shift focus to spiny rays to make their constituents feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Everything the WDFW does is nonsense, smoke and mirrors as far as I'm concerned.

[E-10]

I think increasing the hatchery production is a great idea. But that doesn't really address the problem of the sea lions killing every fish they can get near. From what I've heard from sport fisherman, biologists, lock operators, ladder personnel and dam security, the sea lions have made their way upriver past Bonneville and the Dalles and aren't just killing what they need to survive, they are killing everything they can get their teeth on. The sea lions have become a nuisance to a lot of fisheries up and down the Pacific Coast, and their numbers have bounced back to incredible numbers while on the endangered/protected species list, as their natural predators numbers decline.   

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery chinook production is actually now being funded because of the orca issue.

[snake]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery chinook production is actually now being funded because of the orca issue.

I haven't heard about this but its a start and good news.

[Axle]

If what I'm reading is the new rule:
Walleye: Change from eight- to a 16-fish daily limit; only one fish may be over 22 inches.
Smallmouth bass: Change from 10- to a 15-fish daily limit; only one fish may be over 14 inches.
Largemouth bass: Change from five- to a 10-fish daily limit; only one fish may be over 17 inches.

Then I don't see this affecting anything but walleye. There appears to be the same restrictions on the bigger bass unless they pull the plug on the 12" to 17" restriction for largemouth.
Most folks don't keep little bass anyway. Increasing the limit by 5 fish per day won't do anything to the numbers of bass; and therefore, it won't affect the numbers of salmon.
The real issue, as stated before, is the seals and certain birds.
There didn't seem to be an issue with salmon numbers before the seals started showing up in high numbers.
Again - I'm not for any bass regulations in salmon waters but I don't feel the bass are the main problem.

[Taco280AI]

Are the tribes going after seals and sea lions? Killing a few thousand, for ceremonial and sustenance purposes, would certainly help.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Are the tribes going after seals and sea lions? Killing a few thousand, for ceremonial and sustenance purposes, would certainly help.

Ill.donate rifles and ammo for the celebration.

[snake]

Ocean conditions have been a factor in this as well.  Ocean conditions have improved over the last 3 years, I would expect to see improved runs in the near future.  When you mix seals, birds, tribal, commercial harvest, decreased hatchery production and poor ocean conditions you get a recipe for disaster.  Don't forget it was only 5-7 years ago we had record numbers of returning chinook.  I am hopeful for an improvement in the near future.

[MtnMuley]

Ocean conditions have been a factor in this as well.  Ocean conditions have improved over the last 3 years, I would expect to see improved runs in the near future.  When you mix seals, birds, tribal, commercial harvest, decreased hatchery production and poor ocean conditions you get a recipe for disaster.  Don't forget it was only 5-7 years ago we had record numbers of returning chinook.  I am hopeful for an improvement in the near future.

  Also, not to forget the "blob" back in 2014/15 warming the waters off much of the northern Pacific Coast.

[castie2504]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery salmon is not a good idea. Hatchery salmon are destroying what little genetic diversity is left in truly wild fish. It’s dumbing the natural population down through our selfish actions. The best course of action, albeit unreasonable, is to remove the man made barriers that have decimated the population, kill the hatcheries and let Mother Nature heal itself.

[snake]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery salmon is not a good idea. Hatchery salmon are destroying what little genetic diversity is left in truly wild fish. It’s dumbing the natural population down through our selfish actions. The best course of action, albeit unreasonable, is to remove the man made barriers that have decimated the population, kill the hatcheries and let Mother Nature heal itself.

I don't even know where to start... I should probably put together a 30 minute powerpoint presentation or something.

[Bullkllr]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery salmon is not a good idea. Hatchery salmon are destroying what little genetic diversity is left in truly wild fish. It’s dumbing the natural population down through our selfish actions. The best course of action, albeit unreasonable, is to remove the man made barriers that have decimated the population, kill the hatcheries and let Mother Nature heal itself.

I don't even know where to start... I should probably put together a 30 minute powerpoint presentation or something.

Best to just let it go. Only semi-kidding.

[MtnMuley]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery salmon is not a good idea. Hatchery salmon are destroying what little genetic diversity is left in truly wild fish. It’s dumbing the natural population down through our selfish actions. The best course of action, albeit unreasonable, is to remove the man made barriers that have decimated the population, kill the hatcheries and let Mother Nature heal itself.

I don't even know where to start... I should probably put together a 30 minute powerpoint presentation or something.

Best to just let it go. Only semi-kidding.

[BigGoonTuna]

seems pointless to plant more fish that just don't come back anyway.  look at the cowlitz if you need proof of that.

where WDFW is just making things worse, is taking fisheries that are actually productive and thriving - eastside bass and walleye, and taking them the same direction of salmon and steelhead in this state.  pretty soon, all we'll have left to fish for is planter trout.

[duckmen1]

seems pointless to plant more fish that just don't come back anyway.  look at the cowlitz if you need proof of that.

where WDFW is just making things worse, is taking fisheries that are actually productive and thriving - eastside bass and walleye, and taking them the same direction of salmon and steelhead in this state.  pretty soon, all we'll have left to fish for is planter trout.

Even stocker trout are seeing some cut backs and changes throughtout the recent years.

[fishngamereaper]

1. increase hatchery chinook production. (giving the orcas something to eat)
2. kill the sea lions
3. regulate tribal

pretty easy solution on paper, but none of these will happen.

Increasing hatchery salmon is not a good idea. Hatchery salmon are destroying what little genetic diversity is left in truly wild fish. It’s dumbing the natural population down through our selfish actions. The best course of action, albeit unreasonable, is to remove the man made barriers that have decimated the population, kill the hatcheries and let Mother Nature heal itself.

There aren't enough "wild " fish left to sustain most runs ..most  "wild" fish are just unclipped hatchery fish..