Ban on killing wild steelhead reconsidered; hearing due

By The Associated Press

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OLYMPIA — The state Fish and Wildlife Commission voted yesterday to reconsider its ban on killing wild steelhead, a rule change that sparked a culture war on the Olympic Peninsula and a formal protest from the city of Forks.

The 5-1 vote means the steelhead rule will be the subject of a public hearing sometime this summer, said Tim Waters, a spokesman for the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"This will allow the general public an opportunity to come before the commission, testify and voice their opinions," Waters said.

The ban was adopted earlier this year as an amendment to less-sweeping changes to the steelhead rules and drew protests that it had been railroaded through. Though the ban technically is in effect statewide, it affects only a handful of Olympic Peninsula rivers.

Officials in Forks — a town that depends on tourism revenue from steelhead fishermen — were especially incensed and filed a formal complaint.

The hearing will likely turn into a showdown between factions of fishermen.

On one side will be the Wild Steelhead Coalition — the group that pushed for the ban — and other wild-fish advocates who argue it's time to protect some of the last healthy wild runs of steelhead in the Lower 48.

On the other side will be many Olympic Peninsula locals who depend on fishing-related tourism as well as fishermen who don't want to lose the opportunity to take home a trophy fish during the wild-fish run.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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