The 768 dollar salmon....

[DOUBLELUNG]

Before we bash the program, what is the economic expenditure for each of those harvested blackmouth?  $5k?  $10k?  Many, MANY government programs justify their cost by the multiplier effect of the benefits they provide.  I don't know the answers, but I bet $768 is a small fraction of the total economic activity generated for each one harvested.

[Shootmoore]

Before we bash the program, what is the economic expenditure for each of those harvested blackmouth?  $5k?  $10k?  Many, MANY government programs justify their cost by the multiplier effect of the benefits they provide.  I don't know the answers, but I bet $768 is a small fraction of the total economic activity generated for each one harvested.

This is a very good point.  I would also argue that back in the day the cost per fish was alot lower than the estimated $768 dollars.  I used to go down and help my dad on spawning day, when I was a kid you had 6 guys burning through the spawning process.  As I got older there were 6 guys and a bio.  Towards the end there were 3 guys, 4 or 5 bio's standing around and 5 or 6 bio assistants and there was so much testing going on that the 3 guys doing the work were doing half of what they could.  There is so much "wild fish" red tape now that the cost of hatchery fish is way and above what it could be.  And the cost is self inflated by the WDFW on what the actuall cost should be.  I smell a thought process from the far left in the WDFW to use citizens concern over out of control government spending to attack the practice of hatchery fish.

Remember that the far left in the WDFW would like #1 hatcheries to be fazed out, wild fish only and no fishing.  With the interests of comercial fishing, Native fishing and Sportsfishing and population growth, the ONLY way to continue sportfishing in my view is to continue hatchery release.  If you look at 70's returns (when the hatcheries were allowed to pump out max capacity vs. the limited and red tape heavy production of today, there were many more fish for all.

Shootmoore

[cohoho]

Before we bash the program, what is the economic expenditure for each of those harvested blackmouth?  $5k?  $10k?  Many, MANY government programs justify their cost by the multiplier effect of the benefits they provide.  I don't know the answers, but I bet $768 is a small fraction of the total economic activity generated for each one harvested.

You got a great thought there for sure.  Got a friend that is doing marketing analysis stuff for a company he is starting.  Unbelievable what economical value fishermen bring.  Way more than any other sporting activity, as a whole.   Just take a look at Alaskan Airlines, any day of the year there are about 5 scheduled trips per day, but watch that go to 20 schedule trips during fishing season, yea some are straight up tourist but mostly fisherman heading north.  You don't think Alaskan Airlines knows the worthiness of fishermen.  Just here you got to figure adding the value of boats (a couple stretches there had to be 700 boats in a three mile area), gas to get there, fishing gear, lures, bait, snacks, beer, drinks  and accessories and you are way up there in value that the economy reaps the benefits...