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We had great ocean conditions that contributed to the high
salmon returns. A letter that was sent to the WDFW commission by Wild Fish
Conservancy trying to undo our two years of working together with diverse
leaders of groups to save our precious Southern Resident Killer Whale Orcas
on the Governor’s Orca Task Force, which I was a member. Through the task
force we agreed to make more hatchery fish to feed the Orcas. It took our
relationship with our tribes to have them step in and back us up to get
this across the finish line, which was the add of
50 million Chinook. This was endors1d and passed by our previous WDFW
Commissioners.
A letter that Wild
Fish Conservancy has sent to the new Commissioners this quote:
“Hatcheries have existed
since 1895. Has WDFW and WFWC factored in the ongoing and steady decline in
hatchery and wild chinook salmon size on the species and their environment
in their SRKW Hatchery Prey Initiative? If hatcheries are effective in
recovering declining wild populations, why are
returning adult salmon (particularly Chinook) still declining? Similarly,
if hatcheries are an effective tool, why is the SRKW population
still declining?”
All that I can say is WOW! You are proving our point exactly.
The Natural Origin Chinook (not going to call them wild as there are no
wild chinook in Washington state anymore, only mixed stock fisheries
because of the massive hatchery production over the last 100+ years), is
because we have taken away the habitat that used to support these fish.
Everywhere you look are new buildings going up.
1. We have removed the estuaries that used to provide for the
original wild fish. They are now dirt. Farms, businesses, roads, houses,
mining, etc. have replaced the habitat where they used to be.
2. An unprecedented survey has revealed the loss
of about 85 percent of historical tidal wetlands in California, Oregon, and
Washington.
3. The biggest clear cuts in the US were done in
Washington State. From Bellingham to the Columbia River. This loss of
quality habitat has caused erosion and silt to be constantly flushed into
the streams.
4. We cut hatchery production by 163 million
Chinook and Coho yearly from 1992-2016. The natural spawners
have declined even more since this started. I want to say about 5-6 years
ago it was another 42% loss of these natural spawners.
99% of the natural spawner fish eggs are being
washed down the river. How is that the hatchery fish’s fault? It’s not!
We need to
fight the hatchery haters before we lose what is left. Just think had we
not worked to feed the orcas with extra hatchery fish, the massive returns
you see right now might not have happened. We had great ocean
conditions coming off the “blob” that has let these fish survive and
return. Now we are gong into El Nino, this is the
time for massive hatchery production so we do get some fish back to keep
the Orcas fed and us fishing. Join your local PSA Chapter as we continue to
fight for the fish, you kids and grandkids.
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