Emergency Closures on Catch and Release Seasons

1161 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Swinger, Mar 19, 2003

Bob Triggs

Discussion Starter · Mar 19, 2003

I knew this would get your attention.

I was thinking about how oxymoronic it is to see Catch and Release seasons being closed during emergency conditons on anadromous runs of fish. Of course I understand that it is only during emergencies. But if they had more Catch and Release seasons, on more water, for longer periods of time,(obviously with less harvest), then this rediculous situation would not occur.

Being a relative newcomer to the Pacific Northwest I have had to do allot of serious reading and study and get involved in allot of groups etc, to learn as much as I can. It is an enormous task to wrap one's self around the many issues of fisheries management here. A life's work.

It is most disturbing to me that one of the great modern management "tools",(Catch and Release), would become such a threat, to the few remaining spawning fish, that the managers would have to close that too.

That is an emergency in and of it's self.

I hope that those of you who have taken on the no-kill ethic as a fundamental in your fly fishing life, will take the time to be sure you are doing the least harm possible in your catch and release fly fishing; adequate weight rods for the species targeted, heavier leaders and tippets, smaller hooks, barbless hooks, briefer "playing time", little to no handling of the fish out of water, releasing the fish without avoidable injury, and knowing when too much catch and release, in a given area, is too much for the fish to handle. It seems that now, more than ever, we need to set the example for preserving the future of or wild fish and our way of life. Releasing wild fish is not a sacrifice, it is an investment.

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Swinger

· #4 · Mar 19, 2003

The Wild Salmonid Policy which is a document that governs Salmonind management in this state, states that any wild steelhead population that is expected to return at less then 80% of its escapement goal, will not have a fishery targeting that population whether it is C&R or not!

Anyone who believes that there should be a fishery over a depressed run, especially a run that is less then 80% of its escapement is selfish!

The Wild Salmonid Policy also states that there will not be a kill fishery on any wild steelhead population that is expected to return at less then its escapement goal.

You should pick it up!! Or download it! It is a good read!! :thumb

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Swinger

· #6 · Mar 19, 2003

But it is another threat to the survivial of our wild steelhead. The hypocracy is too prevelant among so many in this community! So many of us feel that because we release what we catch, we cause no harm.

When will we realize that we are part of the problem? Many of us are part of the solution but we can not help but be part of the problem. We fish these stocks, we incidently catch the premigrants, we wade the rivers etc. etc.

Our key is to minimize our impact and maximize what we give back. How many here are memembers of certain convservation organizations that are fighting for our wild steelhead? How many here write letters? And show up at meetings? And get involved? How many here just bitch??

And lastly, I in fact think that fishing over stocks that are at 80% of escapement is not minimizing our impact. If a river system is not expected to reach escapement, we should not be fising over that river's fish!

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