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(might be wrong forum...)

if we are so concerned about the survival of salmon, why don't we just impose a moratorium on salmon harvesting for 3 years or so? seems more effective than all the bandaid solutions currently out there.

[Schenk]

Just a guess, but "they" are probably balancing demands from a number of groups on both sides of the debate.
And it must be considered that harvesting is not the only threat, nor even the most impacting.
my 2 cents (and worth at least half that!)

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Nature exists with a stark indifference to humans' situation.

[treeswarper]

[Schenk]

[treeswarper]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/may/22/colville-tribe-nets-28-pounds-female-northern-pike/

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What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities

[timberghost]

Tell that to the native americans who seem be oblivious with wanton waste.

[Gregory]

Between treaties with the tribes and the fact that both Canada and Alaska catch much of our fish and the market value, curtailing harvest is an EXTREMELY complicated process. Washington state does not govern the tribes. If Jay Inslee was to sign something stopping all commercial and sport salmon fishing tomorrow it would have no bearing on the tribes. Add to that we are obligated to make sure the tribes have salmon to harvest by treaty.. The hatcheries are there for the tribes not Washington state citizens.

So let's say the non-tribal interest, commercial and sport, decided to stop Salmon fishing to help save the Salmon, In the Boldt decision, guaranteeing the tribes 50% of the salmon, is a "forgone opportunity" clause. Basically, it means that the tribes get to harvest the fish we elected not to and they do. They do it every year with Steelhead on the coast.We elected as sportsmen to regulate the wild steelhead in the HOH, Sol duc, etc catch and release. the tribes laughed and waived there middle fingers at the state and now they stretch the nets across the rivers twice as long.

Folks the Salmon are screwed to put it nicely. The only question is how much money the ignorant are willing to spend on feel-good crap, going down the path of destruction.

[Anne Elk]

[JimmyBob]

The native tribes do work towards to protecting the habitat.

Each year they buy more habitat, as you just said, without habitat there is no hope.

[wanderwild]

The Mountaineers have a related event next Friday - https://allevents.in/mobile/amp-event.php?event_id=1000061258450675

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"Whatever your mountain, climb on."

[Schroder]

[Gregory]

Problem is that there is a substantial amount of money to be had in both commercial and sport fishing. On top of that, it is not just money to the tribes but it is a part of their culture and a right guaranteed by the courts. That guarantee equals power over the state and unfortunately, its constiguants.....us. I say unfortunately because the general public has little to nothing to say about the management of our fisheries but we will be the ones to pay dearly. They will never give up their rights to fish. I Don't blame them. Even if NOAA or the feds in some form stopped the tribes from fishing they would turn around and sue the state or us once again for mismanagement of the resource. They would or maybe I should say "will" win because it is inevitable. Once the political power of the "right" to fish plays itself out, they will take the next step which will be in the courts.

Unfortunately, it would do little good for just Washington state to stop harvesting salmon. A real moratorium would need the cooperation of Alaska, Canada, us and the tribes. Good luck.

Just for the record, I have not bought a saltwater license in 6 years and not fished anadromous fish in four. I do still hike the small streams I grew up on hoping to see fish returning but alas. I do still fish remote trout fisheries as hard as that is getting to be as I get older. Packing my pack as I type, for a four-day excursion to one of those Remote spots.

Why is it that every resource worth money is raped and pillaged until it is in crisis mode before the right thing is done. Greed. The native Americans before we got here and took it all away were the only culture I know of, that understood life in balance with nature was better than not. That said the Tribes as we know them now, are no more innocent in this tragedy than we are.

[alpendave]

And the forage fish the salmon depend on, and the habitat those forage fish depend on, and...?

Forage fish of Puget Sound

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Like a ray of sunshine in a drought stricken land.

What we do does far more than what we think others ought to do. Inspiration is a far greater power for good than coercion. In your own life, show others the good that you wish to see in the world.

[Gregory]

20 years now LLTK has been trying to save the salmon and steelhead in my back yard. Both are worst off than when they started getting paid. Maybe if they would quit trapping every smolt, adult and egg they could find the fish would be better off. Is it about the fish or the millions of dollars?

People have been studying cherry point since the 80s I believe. It would be interesting to add up just how much money has been spent to come up with the same conclusions. There is no magic one thing we are going to find that is going to save the herring. Man is what is wrong with the herring stocks. Cherry point has an oil refinery and aluminum smelter for neighbors. Who in their right mind decided to put that on top of Puget Sounds largest herring stocks? Add to that we have drastically changed the shorelines from Cherry point to the nastiest crap hole that calls the Puget sound home, otherwise known a Seattle. Herring do not like that. It's not rocket science. Take away every waterfront home beach rights and bring back the beaches. Close the oil refinery and the smelter. Stop all the runoff from our roads from reaching the sound and treat it etc etc. Or study and study it and study it. I am sick of paying people to study the obvious and pretending it is doing something about the problem.

[Brian R]