Holocost on the Skokomish!

[ncwflounderer]

As bad as it sounds throwing the fish carcasas of chums really isnt that bad. Decaying fish in a river can help the balance of nature in some ways. Fish add nutrients to the water system feeding millions of other fishys. Taking the eggs out and leaving the rest is a smart business practice. Eggs can fetch up to 50 bucks a pound in Japan and other Asian countries. The chum meat isnt worth squat. I only keep female chums myself. I too want the eggs. The fish I cut up in pieces for crab bait. Are Y'all gonna come protest in front of my house or threaten to turn me in? I doubt it. I caught alot of pinks. I cooked one and the rest became crab bait. Another good reason to release the chums is after they roll back out in the salt they become food for crustaceans or crabs. As fisherpeople we complain about the Native Americans so much its sickening. Im sure this thread wil be locked soon enough. Concentrate on your own fishing. There are loads of other rivers then the Skok.

Are you saying that you sold eggs for up to $50 bucks a pound?

[bassplayer17]

That is a shocking number of fish. That picture speaks volumes! Strange, the fish don't look gutted. Even the fish bellies facing the camera, do not show a slit up the belly. I am not saying they're not. Just not obvious is all.

The hens have there bellies slit the bucks are just tossed whole..

[rcthepirate]

As bad as it sounds throwing the fish carcasas of chums really isnt that bad. Decaying fish in a river can help the balance of nature in some ways. Fish add nutrients to the water system feeding millions of other fishys. Taking the eggs out and leaving the rest is a smart business practice. Eggs can fetch up to 50 bucks a pound in Japan and other Asian countries. The chum meat isnt worth squat. I only keep female chums myself. I too want the eggs. The fish I cut up in pieces for crab bait. Are Y'all gonna come protest in front of my house or threaten to turn me in? I doubt it. I caught alot of pinks. I cooked one and the rest became crab bait. Another good reason to release the chums is after they roll back out in the salt they become food for crustaceans or crabs. As fisherpeople we complain about the Native Americans so much its sickening. Im sure this thread wil be locked soon enough. Concentrate on your own fishing. There are loads of other rivers then the Skok.

The real bottom line is that the guys who are doing this are trying to make a quick buck, and aren't really interested in "smart business practices." They don't have means to store/transport/process the fish, so they take the eggs (which are the real gold anyways) and leave the rest. And they really don't care about the resource as long as they are making money.

And as for retaining humpies and chums for eggs and crab bait... If you aren't going to eat it, don't retain it. It's a wasteful practice to keep fish just for eggs and crab bait. If you want crab bait, use the heads/carcasses of more worthy eating fish. If you want good eggs, go catch a good bright fish with tight skeins and good meat that can actually be put to good use. Respect the resource. If you don't catch enough worthy fish to get a decent amount of eggs this way, then that is too bad. You almost never actually NEED eggs to catch fish anyways.

[Matt]

How bout you all make a call to the harvest management division and quit complaining on the interwebz?



REGULATION NUMBER: F#13-77
5) NO CARCASSES MAY BE THROWN BACK IN THE WATER.
ALL CARCASSES MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE BEACH
OR THE WATER.

Location:
Skokomish Department of Natural Resources
North 541 Tribal Center Road
Skokomish Nation, WA 98584
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Phone:
(360) 877-5213

[spoonman]

How bout you all make a call to the harvest management division and quit complaining on the interwebz?



REGULATION NUMBER: F#13-77
5) NO CARCASSES MAY BE THROWN BACK IN THE WATER.
ALL CARCASSES MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE BEACH
OR THE WATER.

Location:
Skokomish Department of Natural Resources
North 541 Tribal Center Road
Skokomish Nation, WA 98584
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Phone:
(360) 877-5213

Dang matt, there you go being all logical and stuff.

[racfish]

I think and everything I write is my opinion. I dont knock the Native Americans at all. Education works much better then a fight on treaty rights. Maybe if we can work together with the Native Americans on teaching conservation or the pluses of using fish for fertilizers,or even marketing fish they catch would be a step in the right direction. Friends of mine Back in New York just love when I send them smoked salmon for the holidays. They ask me where they can buy it. Maybe if theres a way to teach people a better more usefull way to utilize their fishing rights. These wars go on forever. Im not sure where to start but seeing its a Federal issue not a state issue maybe thats the avenue to travel. Again this is just MY opinion. My opinion is not a final answer,its just how I picture it.
Ive been fishing since 1960. There used to be a 3 fish limit back then. Ive seen our rivers put out and not put out. This constant battling among our own people needs to stop. Good luck all.

[racfish]

As bad as it sounds throwing the fish carcasas of chums really isnt that bad. Decaying fish in a river can help the balance of nature in some ways. Fish add nutrients to the water system feeding millions of other fishys. Taking the eggs out and leaving the rest is a smart business practice. Eggs can fetch up to 50 bucks a pound in Japan and other Asian countries. The chum meat isnt worth squat. I only keep female chums myself. I too want the eggs. The fish I cut up in pieces for crab bait. Are Y'all gonna come protest in front of my house or threaten to turn me in? I doubt it. I caught alot of pinks. I cooked one and the rest became crab bait. Another good reason to release the chums is after they roll back out in the salt they become food for crustaceans or crabs. As fisherpeople we complain about the Native Americans so much its sickening. Im sure this thread wil be locked soon enough. Concentrate on your own fishing. There are loads of other rivers then the Skok.

The real bottom line is that the guys who are doing this are trying to make a quick buck, and aren't really interested in "smart business practices." They don't have means to store/transport/process the fish, so they take the eggs (which are the real gold anyways) and leave the rest. And they really don't care about the resource as long as they are making money.

And as for retaining humpies and chums for eggs and crab bait... If you aren't going to eat it, don't retain it. It's a wasteful practice to keep fish just for eggs and crab bait. If you want crab bait, use the heads/carcasses of more worthy eating fish. If you want good eggs, go catch a good bright fish with tight skeins and good meat that can actually be put to good use. Respect the resource. If you don't catch enough worthy fish to get a decent amount of eggs this way, then that is too bad. You almost never actually NEED eggs to catch fish anyways.

Before you pass judgement too harshly. I eat the roe. I use some for bait but I eat more roe then fish. I utilize the fish the way I want to. Using it for crab bait isnt wasting a thing. Should we not use herring for salmon seeing you can catch salmon on a spoon. We use sand shrimp for bait. Is that a waste also?. I think we all do what we want with our fish. Who am I to judge anyone. I know guys that catch and catch just to fill their freezers. We buy our licences like everyone else does. Isnt it up to me what I do with my fish as long as I abide by our laws? Again JMO

[MarkFromSea]

KIRO 7 did a story on the Skokomish yesterday... First thing I noticed was they found a different dumping ground than the original photo I saw....
I've been sending this and other links to everywhere I can think of, the other local stations, New York Times, CA and as far away as Australia...... It may not do any good but I'll feel better that I tried. Not just complain about it and do nothing.
http://www.kirotv.com/videos/online/vid ... mp/vCJ5X8/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MarkFromSea]

PS an update from another fisherman is he saw the fish being dumped into the river now, instead of on shore, as of yesterday morning. Vids and pictures needed, then get them to the media.... only if you're pissed enough to do something and it's not too inconvenient for those who see the waste. Have a good day!

[dustinchromers]

right on mark! you are a man of action. i can respect that! way to go. at the very least you got it into the light a bit to some that would otherwise be unaware.

[soundkite]

According to the story, the tribe caught more salmon than it could handle. However, the tribes have their own established catch quotas. IMO, abusive unmanned netting due to poor policing and accountability.

[Toni]

Here is an more in depth article taken from the Kitsapsun.com. They must have paid the subscription to get the whole story.

http://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2013/11/w ... -for-some/

[Mike Carey]

wasn't aware of the Dewatto Bay coho dumping. That is more disturbing than the chum. Those are prime eating fish, not marginal in any way.

[bugmasta]

if there is such an abundance of fish why do they not increase the catch limit for the sport fisherman if the Indians cant handle so many? their logic is flawed to say there are too many fish but yet catch limits are limited for us regular folk.

[Amx]

Send that question to the WDFW.

[bugmasta]

WDFW is as useful as tits on a bull

[Jerry H]

What happened to a 50 / 50 split

[Gwendylyn]

What I don't understand is why the tribes wouldn't want to donate it? I would bet that food banks or "do-gooder" groups would even come to the river to pick the fish up making it even easier. The tribes would look like heros for making the donations & people in need would be fed. With all of the tension between sport fishers & the tribal fishers, you'd think they would take advantage of such an easy opportunity for a good PR story. I just don't see any excuse for such waste.

WDFW is as useful as tits on a bull

Agreed.

[Amx]

because;

1) the indians of 'yesterday' respected all game, and used all parts as food, clothing, equipment. They didn't waste anything.

2) the indians of 'today' mostly have no respect AT ALL for most anything. All some of them want is the easy whale so they can dance on top of it instead of respecting it. Most of them give the rest of us the impression that all THEY want is the easy way to earn MONEY. Thus eggs/roe is easier to manage than the whole fish.

3) it's WAY too much trouble for today's indian to gather, haul, and otherwise take care of the fish and then donate the fish to the needy people.

They are NOT the culture that they were years ago.

[primetime]

because;

1) the indians of 'yesterday' respected all game, and used all parts as food, clothing, equipment. They didn't waste anything.

2) the indians of 'today' mostly have no respect AT ALL for most anything. All some of them want is the easy whale so they can dance on top of it instead of respecting it. Most of them give the rest of us the impression that all THEY want is the easy way to earn MONEY. Thus eggs/roe is easier to manage than the whole fish.

3) it's WAY too much trouble for today's indian to gather, haul, and otherwise take care of the fish and then donate the fish to the needy people.

They are NOT the culture that they were years ago.

Many Indians today do have respect! I agree the commercial fishing is in no way cultural and their is definitely waste. Also not every tribe is like the skokomish. Tulalip tribes provide their own sustainable fishery.
Do I agree with a lot that goes on...no! But we can't just over generalize a whole population of people. That just cause hate and angst among people.