All
Salmon Advisors , the Hatchery Scientific Revue Group
and interested public were invited, on short notice, to
the first time workshop for the Puget Sound Chinook
Harvest Plan in Edmonds on May 20th. The
decisions in the past were made in a “vacuum” originally
by the staff without public in-put. This step is an
enlightened change. The Tribes will respond to the
draft document, hopefully on June 24th.
The second workshop was held at Sand Point on June 12th
with a higher attendance. The goal is to reach an
agreement on conservation objectives by both parties, to
be submitted by April 30th 2010 to NMFS/NOAA
to meet ESA standards for review by same. No Draft
document has been released as of this writing.
The
years of Habitat and riparian mitigation are paying off,
especially on the mighty Skagit River. Ken Urstad, Dave
Beatty and your truly, with the guidance of the renowned
Steve Seymour WDFW’s volunteer coordinator, have put in
hundreds of hours in field work since 1993, also as
directors of the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group
representing the Fidalgo Puget Sound Anglers. The
success is in the redds! The Marblemount Hatchery is
an integral component of the high numbers of Spring
Chinook and our increased opportunities to fish for
them. Region 4 has done an exemplary, foresighted job
and proceeded on a shoestring to help find matching
funds. Great work for it can be done and the Skagit
River proves it!
