Will someone please explain to me the logic in taking wild steelhead and turning their off springs into hatchery fish! Also please show me the logic in providing a harvest fishery that was created almost exclusively for professional bait guides.
Well folks that is what we have going on right now on many of our river. These are rivers that have fragile populations of wild winter steelhead .The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, out of their infinite wisdom and wise stewardship of the resource, created the steelhead broodstock program. These broodstock programs amount to little more than a guide welfare program.
Why on earth is it better to make wild spawning winter steelhead into nothing more than hatchery stock? Where is the logic in releasing these bastardized off springs of wild parents on top of emerging true wild off springs?
Why does ODFW ignore the studies that show the total unfitness of these first generation returnees? and finally why would one well know north coast gear fishing guide actually applaud the concept of wild steelhead spawning with returning uncaught first generation broodstock steelhead? The logical outcome of such stupidity and greed spells disaster for wild steelhead.
The evidence is there!
No flame here just sincere questions: What is the evidence that "wild broodstock" steelhead are welfare programs for guides?
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that the fish quickly regain fitness? (I don't know)
Do you think that people will continue to fish in good numbers without harvest opportunity? Who will care about the fish then?
What rivers are planted with "broodstock" that have fragile runs?
No stocking of any kind anywhere, period?
Like I said, no flame, just questions--I'm not sure how I feel about this issue.
The broodstock programs provide a harvest fishery where one did not exist before. The north coast bait and gear guides lobbied heavily for this program. The have actaully been seen fishing spawning redds where native fgish spawn. It's not ethical and does not benefit the general fishing public beside the damge done to wild spawning fish.
ReplyDeleteThe Alsea hatchery fish provided a lower river harvest opportunity for a broader range of anglers in the past at the same time it kept hatchery fish out of the upper reaches of rivers. With the broodstock programs that is not happening and the decline of wild steelhead is the result.
Hope that answers your questions.
Hey Shane, what about the argument that a few strong hatchery runs keeps the majority of the goons off the fragile and pristine water?
ReplyDeleteHatchery steelhead can co-exist with native steelhead if there is every effort to keep the hatchery fish out of the upper portions of rivers where the wild fish spawn. This is not being done on the north coast of Oregon. Steelhead will stray no matter what but to plant the hatchery smolts on top of wild redds is idiotic
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty interesting. I hadn't heard of that idea -- planting stocked fish lower in the system and trying to isolate upper parts of the watershed.
ReplyDelete