[sinktip]

Juro:

I'm posting this over here in hopes of getting the word out to people who might not check in on the WSC forum at Bob's site. If you think this is inappropriate, please delete.
Thanks,
Duggan

_____________________________________________________

As many of you are aware, the Puget Sound river closures will soon result in a mass exodus of anglers to the Olympic Penninsula. This increase can only negatively impact the wild stocks on the O.P. rivers. The Wild Steelhead Coalition is sponsoring a campaign to pressure the WDFW Commission to adopt a catch and release emergency season on these rivers. Please take the time to e-mail or write the commission and support this action.

Please e-mail your request to <a href="mailto:commissi[email protected]"><!--autoemail-->[email protected]</a><!--autoemail--> , fax it to 360 902-2448 or mail via snail mail to WDFW Commission, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091

Included below is a draft letter to use as a guide. <b>Please use you own words as individual letters carry more weight than a form one. </b>
<i>
Dear WDFW Commission Members,

Due to the closure of the North Puget Sound rivers for spring catch and release steelheading, it is predicted that the Olympic Peninsula rivers will see a dramatic increase in fishing pressure. Such increases in pressure will negatively impact the health of the wild steelhead stocks in these rivers.

I am writing to encourage you to consider and approve, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement an emergency Selective Fishery Season on the Olympic Peninsula. This Selective Fishery Season would require "catch-and-release only," selective gear rules from March 1 to April 30, 2001.

The Olympic rivers that will experience inordinate fishing pressure from anglers displaced from Puget Sound waters include: the Quillayute River System (Bogachiel, Calawah, Dickey, Sol Duc and Quillayute); and the Hoh, Queets, Clearwater, upper Quinalt and Humptulips Rivers.

In the past, Washington has enjoyed world-class steelheading. The current management focus on harvest has helped reduce these fisheries to shadows of their former selves. Please take action now to stop this decline and move towards rebuilding the great legacy of steelhead in Washington rivers. I appreciate your consideration and action regarding this proposal.

Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Your Address)
</i>

 

[juro]

Duggan - you don't even need to ask, it is *super* appropriate and urge you to use this forum for all such initiatives.

Now... time for some wordsmithing!

Thanks and glad to help. I hope everyone does their part.

Juro

 

[Howzer]

just wanted to restate the importance of taking the time to send letters to WDFW. The folks down there are under the impression that most anglers in this state favor catch-and-kill of wild fish. We can (at least) change that impression if we all take a few minutes and tell them otherwise.

tight lines,
Nate

 

[juro]

Just sent mine... FYI

Dear WDFW Commission -

In our already offset balance between human presence and indigenous species, this spring's Cascade steelhead closures promise to dramatically sway the attention of anglers to the Olympic Peninsula streams during the peak of the native steelhead season.

This is not to say that Cascade closures are wrong, in fact if the runs need protection then that is the best thing we can do. What is wrong is to allow the heightened slaughter of already pressured indigenous runs in an adjacent area.

I've traveled to fish the wild places on the peninsula for almost 20 years. I have been lucky to experience some of the most remote and pristine places the region has to offer. Each year the native fish of the Hoh, Sol Duc, and surrounding rivers are killed in large numbers this time of year. While the catch and release season on Cascade streams is the shining example of good sporting practices for a fishery, the mentality of the peninsula fishery is catch and kill during a sensitive native run. This is an ambiguous management policy for two equally precious resources in the same region. More catch and release (no-kill) policies should be adopted for peninsula native runs.

It's ironic that this year's decision to protect one precious run will potentially cause a dramatic death toll on another equally precious run just a few hours drive away. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see that we are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

It is the belief of the overwhelming majority of anglers I know that we should place a catch and release protection regulation on the peninsula steelhead to protect them against this potential massacre. Please take action to make this sensible act of stewardship a reality.

Best regards,

Juro Mukai

 

[Robert]

I love email, it's so easy to rip the powers that be off a peice of your mind. I think it's imperative that the managment entities recieve pressure from outside the state so they begin to learn just what they have here. Thank Juro!

Here's the email addy for the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission:

Phone: 360-902-2267
E-mail: [email protected]

Here's their Web page:

<a href="http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/com/comintro.htm" target="_blank"><!--auto-->http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/com/comintro.htm</a><!--auto-->

Here's what I sent them:

Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission:


Due to the recent pending closure of Puget Sound rivers to steelhead angling it is expected that Olympic Peninsula rivers will receive intensified pressure. To lessen the impact on these fragile stocks of wild fish I urge the commission to implement catch and release, quality fisheries regulations for the remainder of the season.

The pending closure of the Puget Sound rivers is a classic failure of the present harvest management policy. In past seasons the brood stock for the currently depressed runs was deemed healthy and wild fish kill harvesting was implemented. The inadequacy of either scientific, or political means of fish current management strategies is partly to blame for the current lack of what would be a low impact recreational opportunity through catch and release.

In light of the current management failures I urge the Commission to adopt mandatory catch and release regulation for all wild steelhead in the State of Washington. These regulations should be in effect until such a time as stocks can be maintained or restored to levels of historical abundance.

The entities of the State of Washington have repeatedly missed the point when it comes to providing quality angling to visitors and residents. They have fostered a harvest mentality where quantity over rides quality. The beauty, solitude and splendor of our rivers and wild fish are the legacy we must leave for others. Hopefully it will not be just a memory of what once was.

Lets put the wildlife back in Wildlife and start managing for the fish instead of people.

Thank you,