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Charle5170 at aol_com: Re: NANFA-- squawfish
--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: Charle5170 at aol_com
To: nanfa at aquaria_net
Subject: Re: NANFA-- squawfish
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 13:38:45 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <971111133844_-1459668026@mrin39>
My thoughts on squawfish.
First I agree with Jay DeLong re: coevolution etc. Also, non-native
smallmouth bass are plentiful in the Columbia and Snake River systems
(see
this month's In-Fisherman for example). When I have caught and killed
those
fish for consumption, they're full of smolts, too. Why don't we have a
bounty on them as well? Well we all know why.
Further, removing the most predacious larger individuals from an
ecosystem
does not necessarily mean the total number of prey consumed will be
reduced.
In fact, that number can increase as large numbers of medium-sized
members
move into vacated feeding stations and eat voraciously to rapidly gain
size
and dominance. Is this happening with squawfish? No one knows for sure
and
the studies are not being conducted supposedly because there is a lack of
funding. (That wouldn't be the same funds being paid out in bounty now
would
it?)
>From an observational standpoint only, there seems to be far fewer
bounty
anglers in the Lewiston, Idaho/Hells Canyon area now as the program loses
its
appeal.
It is indeed the dams that have caused the problem of providing a near
ideal
habitat for for squawfish and smallmouth to the detriment of smolts who
dazed
wander down through slack water and endless rip rap to try and find the
ocean. Easy pickins.
And what about carp? Do we place a boutny on them for the countless eggs
they consume? Why not open a commercial fishery for them?
This whole issue of squawfish bounties makes no sense once one examines
it.
It is just another way BPA shuffles money to the Joe Sixpacks of the
angling
world to appease them and draw attention away from the extirpation of
salmon
and steelhead. Frankly I'm surprised they haven't further introduced
walleye
and northern pike to make it go a little faster.
Remember that the longer consumptive economic interests putz around with
schemes like squawfish bounties, the more likely it is that salmon and
steelhead will not be recoverable and then there will be no more scrutiny
over the effect of dams.
Charlie Powell, Moscow, Idaho
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