08-06-2016, 04:33 PM
I agree with you about Joe, I don't think you can make a point that his comments from 2.5 weeks ago were aligned with being a salesman; at that time things weren't looking bad, the lower granite numbers were above the five year average and the bonneville numbers hadn't stalled yet. Obviously fish and game wants to sell licenses and tags, but I don't think at this point we can say they're being greedy salesman. I would assume that if the run is indeed well below average there will be reductions in limits, etc.
I agree with you about not negatively targeting guides, the economic impact salmon and steelhead have in the towns where these fish run is huge for those communities. These guys already have issues dealing with fluctuating runs each year and not knowing how they will make their next dollar. Of course, at least in my opinion, we wouldn't be having a similar conversation every year or every third year, etc., if there weren't so many obstacles facing these fish.
To that point, I think idaho power and bonneville power should be covering most of the cost, it isn't fish and games' sole responsibility to be paying for restoration that otherwise wouldn't be needed if many of the dams weren't in place. Instead of criticizing fish and game, we should be supporting them in anyway we can. Of course they want to sell licenses and tags, but how else are they going to fund projects to improve opportunities in Idaho?
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I agree with you about not negatively targeting guides, the economic impact salmon and steelhead have in the towns where these fish run is huge for those communities. These guys already have issues dealing with fluctuating runs each year and not knowing how they will make their next dollar. Of course, at least in my opinion, we wouldn't be having a similar conversation every year or every third year, etc., if there weren't so many obstacles facing these fish.
To that point, I think idaho power and bonneville power should be covering most of the cost, it isn't fish and games' sole responsibility to be paying for restoration that otherwise wouldn't be needed if many of the dams weren't in place. Instead of criticizing fish and game, we should be supporting them in anyway we can. Of course they want to sell licenses and tags, but how else are they going to fund projects to improve opportunities in Idaho?
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