WDFW fishery managers shared the poor prognosis for Washington’s wild steelhead returns meeting escapement on many of our coastal rivers. Four possible options for stemming the bleeding were presented, one of which is a total fishing closure.
Whistling past the graveyard is no longer an option.
The allure of catching a Washington wild steelhead put forth in marketing campaigns and across social media often paints a far rosier picture than actually exists. It’s long overdue that we demand short-term and long term management solutions and we change mindsets when it comes to the current state of steelhead.
