Reg question - Area #9

[CP]

Okay, we get to fish Thursday - Saturday until Aug 1.  Then I see this:

Chinook - min. size 22”. Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2. Release chum, wild coho, and Chinook.

So, does that mean hatchery Chinook can be retained if they are 22" or better?  Or is it: release chum, wild coho and all Chinook?  It isn't exactly clear, is it?

[fishngamereaper]

It's says release "wild" Chinook before Aug.
After Aug 1 release all Chinook..


But Chinook will be shutdown in a few days anyway...so problem solved.

[CP]

Well, that makes sense.  It’s the minimum size that’s confusing me.  Why list a min size if all Chinook are to be released?

So, it is a 9-day season, unless it closes early.  Got it. 

Thanks

[fishngamereaper]

Well, that makes sense.  It’s the minimum size that’s confusing me.  Why list a min size if all Chinook are to be released?

So, it is a 9-day season, unless it closes early.  Got it. 

Thanks

Ya it's the state...they don't realize what they print half the time..
Good luck out there. Get em while you can.

[Stein]

I was just trying to explain the logic to my son on the 22" limit.  He asked why we have to throw hatchery fish back and I said, well, obviously we don't want to impact the native Snohomish run.  He looked confused, so did I.

The morale of the story is that there are boatloads of 20-21" hatchery fish that never go to the ocean and if they let you keep those there would be significantly less impact on the ones we are trying to protect.  It really should be a two fish limit, keep the first two hatchery chinook you catch and you're done.

Rules like what we have only serve to make the problem worse.

[WAcoueshunter]

I was just trying to explain the logic to my son on the 22" limit.  He asked why we have to throw hatchery fish back and I said, well, obviously we don't want to impact the native Snohomish run.  He looked confused, so did I.

The morale of the story is that there are boatloads of 20-21" hatchery fish that never go to the ocean and if they let you keep those there would be significantly less impact on the ones we are trying to protect.  It really should be a two fish limit, keep the first two hatchery chinook you catch and you're done.

Rules like what we have only serve to make the problem worse.

What if those first two hatchery chinook are 8”?

[fishngamereaper]

If it helps DFW just did an emergency amendment and re worded the Aug season..

The Chinook portion was removed.

[CP]

If it helps DFW just did an emergency amendment and re worded the Aug season..

The Chinook portion was removed.

Do you have a link?

[fishngamereaper]

If it helps DFW just did an emergency amendment and re worded the Aug season..

The Chinook portion was removed.

Do you have a link?

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules/pamphlet-corrections-and-clarification-marine-areas-2023-07

[CP]

Thanks.

[Stein]

I was just trying to explain the logic to my son on the 22" limit.  He asked why we have to throw hatchery fish back and I said, well, obviously we don't want to impact the native Snohomish run.  He looked confused, so did I.

The morale of the story is that there are boatloads of 20-21" hatchery fish that never go to the ocean and if they let you keep those there would be significantly less impact on the ones we are trying to protect.  It really should be a two fish limit, keep the first two hatchery chinook you catch and you're done.

Rules like what we have only serve to make the problem worse.

What if those first two hatchery chinook are 8”?

Then you have 16" of fish to take home and try again the next day.   

We're the proverbial frog in a pot.  Seasons are shortened, more selective and winter season trimmed or eliminated.  Every year there are fewer days available in fewer areas.

We hammer the small hatchery guys and all those go against the quota.  All the 6-21.9" get thrown back and likely a shocking percentage die.  In MA9, my boat released 15 chinook on the opener, probably 12 of which I would have been happy to take home.  So, to get my magical one fish, I hit 15 and killed who knows how many.  I could have taken the first two, killed a bunch less and both the fish and myself would have been better off. 

When a fish is released, nobody knows what it is (or if it even lives).  When it's kept, they can check at the dock and have much better data on what fish we are truly impacting.  All signs currently point to a bunch of guessing is going on.

The way it is now seem to an uneducated biological guy like me as if they are managing it for the least take and least chance of recovery.

[hunthard]

Stein,
I couldn't agree more, been saying this for a few years.