Occupy Skagit Update

photo by Sozinho Imagery

Yesturday 80 people showed their support for a Catch and Release fishery on the Skagit. OS is not advocating fishing over low returns -  it is about having a CnR season when numbers return to the 6,000 escapement level. Winter Steelhead numbers have declined over the last decade on the Skagit and other Washington Rivers. In 1988 there was 13914 spawners in the Skagit, in 2010 there was 4887. 

Chris Deleone a long time steelheader on the Skagit and OS participent shared this with me. "The Skagit did make escapement in 2012 with a total run size of 6,185.  Since a large percentage of Skagit fish are on a four cycle our hope is that we see over 4,500 fish this year - as you know in 2009 we had a very low return of 2,502 (we had a CnR season in 2009), if numbers are good that will show that even a CnR season on low returns does not hinder the long term recovery of Skagit Steelhead. Because of NOAA's current management plan - they will not open a specific river meeting escapement in Puget Sound, they are advocating a total Puget Sound Recovery - which in great, but if the Skagit has 6,000 to 9,000 fish returning and the Puyallup or Green are not meeting escapement - it make no sense to us that the Skagit should not have a regulated Catch and Release season on it.

So putting in place a basin by basin abundance management plan with WDFW and NOAA - when returns are strong say 2014 and after - it will not be a huge fight with government to open a river meeting escapement. Our goal is to be proactive and have a plan in place when things are good - we are all Steelheader's so being optimistic is in our blood."


There is a fishery management issue that needs to be addressed in Washington state and I commend the people who advocated for a catch and release fishery on the Skagit yesterday. This can only open the door to putting pressure on Washington Department of Fish and Game to address other management issues such as  the wild steelhead take regulation on the Olympic Peninsula, a single,barbless regulation and tribal netting. 

It isn't just sports fisherman suffering from the closer, rural businesses depend on the dollars that we spend, hotel cost, food and gas, it all adds up.

Occupy Skagit is bringing awareness to rivers such as the Skagit and advocating for catch and release of threatened, wild fish. I hope the movement keeps growing and will put pressure on agency's to mange a fishery for all stakeholders. Read more about the event here and if you can make it, Occupy Skagit will be going to Olympia next Saturday to a commissioner's meeting and voice their concerns. You can also participate by emailing your name and hometown with a message and they will carry them to Olympia for you. cr_skagit@yahoo.com

OS is not advocating fishing over low numbers of wild steelhead, when runs get over the escapement that a management decision is made to open a CnR fishery.

photo by Marty Howard

Occupy Skagit

Over the years catch and release has been growning as an anglers responsibility and the sportsfishing industry is encouraging this as a means of sustaining future populations of fish. In a state that allows threatened steelhead to be killed on rivers such as the Hoh, I find it hard to believe that they would close a low impact sportsfishery of catch and release in the Puget Sound. This isn't the really issue. 

I find it hard to believe that NOAA's current status of steelhead in (Puget Sound, Olympic Peninsula, Southwest Washington, and Upper Willamette River) are not presently in significant danger of becoming extinct or endangered, although some individual stocks within these ESUs may be at risk. 

Here is an opportunity to voice our concern for a dying fishery on one of the best rivers in Washington.

What is Occupy Skagit?

• A gathering on the Skagit River, April 6th in support of restoring the C&R season. The activity will involve 'fishing' without hooks in as many visible places as possible on the Skagit and Sauk; from the bridge at Concrete upstream to Bacon Creek on the Skagit, and upstream on the Sauk to the bridge at Darrington.
•This is a 'Wade In' Our purpose is not to disrupt traffic, be violent, disrespectful, trespass, harass, or engage in illegal activity of any kind...you know, just like when you go fishing.
•This is a parallel action to mesh with attendance at the WDFW Comissioners Meeting the following week in Olympia.

Why is Occupy Skagit?
•At the time of the ESA listing of Puget Sound wild steelhead, it was generally acknowledged by NMFS that the most robust large basin population in the region was in the Skagit; in fact on its own it probably would not have been listed. After reviewing the evidence, it is our belief that a well managed, catch-and-release (C&R) season on the Skagit would not be inconsistent with the recovery of its wild winter steelhead.
•This will require a petition from WDFW to NMFS for a permit that establishes basin specific allowable impacts (as is currently being done with Puget Sound Chinook).

Who is Occupy Skagit?
•You are. If two people do it, no one will notice. If two hundred people do it, we hope to garner some attention. Sometimes you have to dump a little tea in the harbor to get noticed.

__________________
Occupy Skagit 4/06/13

Give the Skagit River Some Love

http://auctions.orvis.com/

 The legendary Skagit River in northwest Washington is a large, glacier-fed river that winds its way through the Cascade Mountains before emptying into Puget Sound. World-renowned for its steelhead fishing, the Skagit was once home to wild steelhead runs in the tens of thousands, and is the birthplace of many fly-fishing techniques anglers use today. While its runs have diminished over time, the Skagit still boasts wild steelhead that often eclipse the magical 20-pound mark. In an effort to preserve this pristine river and protect its remaining steelhead, Orvis has partnered with the Wild Steelhead Coalition (WSC) and driftboat builder Ross Duncan to bring to you a unique conservation opportunity.

Orvis and the WSC will be auctioning off a one-of-a-kind McKenzie-style driftboat, hand-built by master craftsman Ross Duncan. The 17-foot custom wood driftboat is constructed with BS1088 marine plywood and white oak, and is a hybrid of traditional McKenzie framed boat and stitch-and-glue construction. Secured with System 3 epoxies, 3M 5200 adhesive, and over 300 stainless steel screws, the boat is set up with two fixed-position swivel pedestal seats—fore and aft for fly fishing or side drifting—with an adjustable-position rower’s bench rope seat. The rower’s seat is adjustable plus-or-minus 10 inches, with four different oar lock positions, and the Sawyer Cobra oar locks are set in machined derlin bushings. The bottom of the boat is coated with a high-density poly-urea coating, and the interior and hull are painted with water-based epoxy and polyurethane. The bow and chine batten are protected with 1/8-inch thick stainless steel rub stripes. The boat comes complete with 9-foot MXG Sawyer counterbalanced oars, Lee-Lock side-mount anchor system, and a painted trailer with LED lights.

The retail value of a boat of this quality would be well over $12,000. Bidding will start at $5,000 and all proceeds will go toward WSC habitat restoration and steelhead research projects on the Skagit River. The WSC will deliver the boat free-of-charge anywhere within the states of Washington and Oregon; however, should the winning bid be from elsewhere, the winner will be responsible for shipping costs. Bids can be placed online at http://auctions.orvis.com, and the bidding will close at 11:59 PM ET on October 30, 2012.