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Value of a Wild Steelhead

January 10, 2014 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Imagine if we were to have wild steelhead, our Washington state fish back to sustainable numbers around the state to allow 6 months a year of guiding for them, here is what we would put as a monetary value of that said commodity as a basis for advertising our business:

1 angler from out of state could spend approximately this while in WA for a single day of fishing with the idea that just 1 of these wild fish had the potential to be caught, admired and released…

Air Fare:  $500

Gas:  $100-$250

Hotel: $100 per night

Guide:  $550 per day

Food and Beverage:  $40 per day

Fishing License:  $20

Rental Car:  $200

Ferry Fees:  $40

Daily Shuttle Fee:  $30

Incidentals:  $150 or more

So on a single day, 1 angler could account for this much to the local economy on a single day:

$1630 for 1 angler

We have a staff and connection of 10 licensed and insured fly fishing guides that with a higher percentage of “wild” steelhead we could book ever single week.  Take this number above and multiply that by 10 and this is what the number looks like:

$16,300

Now if you take the notion that well managed fisheries for the survival and sustainability of these wild steelhead, our Washington state fish, could have a dual season between summer and winter where for 180 days of the year, we had a good shot at these fish, enough to keep our entire staff busy for 180 day a year, this is what that number looks like:

$2,934,000

This is 180 days or 25 weeks of the year, keeping 10 local Washington residents employed, paying sales tax on nearly 100% of this figure, supporting other local Washington businesses and several Washington state agencies in the process both directly and indirectly (guide license fees, special use permits on Premier Watersheds, insurance, CPR/First Aid).

This is just our business.  Imagine if all fly fishing businesses in Washington of similar size did the same thing? Imagine all FISHING businesses in Washington could do the same thing?  Imagine if that season of only 6 months was extended for another 2-3 month period as it once was?  Imagine if we valued these fish as a symbol of this awesome state. If we made sure not only our residents but every sport angler from surrounding states and provinces put this same value on them and in return gave same consideration to them, our water,  state and successful management of these fish as one of the single greatest game fish on the planet.

We should be embarrassed about how much better the wild steelhead fishing is once we leave our state in any direction but use that as fuel to turn the table and set the tone for change, to return our state fish to glory and stature it once possessed and deserves.

Imagine…

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers Tagged With: Conservation, Emerald Water Anglers, fish management, flyfishing, guiding, native species, Washington, WDFW, Wild Steelhead

Not just 1 dead wild steelhead!!!

January 28, 2010 by Dave McCoy

Here in the wonderful state of Washington, we are still allowed to kill one wild steelhead a year. I am not sure the notion of killing one female with her nearly ready to release eggs is taken into consideration as this angler just killed more than one. hoh_steelheadeggsonground1
Here lays the future of a species that are about to go away forever and yet policy around the region is allowing for the killing of not just one fish, but as you can see here, potentially hundreds.

Things have to change. Today my dad encouraged me to be reasonable and factual with regards to my reaction to such sights and future articles regarding steelhead because reason is irrefutable and people will listen to it.

I couldn’t agree more and yet I simply can’t control my feelings when I see the residuals of a wild steelhead killed and its hopeful offspring left to help the grass grow. Tell this to a politician who has been reasonable about any other controversial issue. Seems to me it is just that much easier to muffle the sound of reason when that reason isn’t blasted from the rooftops, even when irrefutable.

This just isn’t making sense and yet so many out there, outside of our region are left to think these fish are just as abundant as they once were. It couldn’t be that bad, look at everyone who is guiding for them and how many they catch. What isn’t visible to those outside of the PNW or whom just simply aren’t involved with fish conservation at all is the tooth and nail fight that is being waged over a species of fish that is in many parts of the PNW, an ESA (Endangered Species Act) listed species, yes, the very same list the bald eagle was on.

These fish won’t recover if this matter or listing status isn’t taken seriously. Dylan Tomine has said there is encouraging work being done in certain places and while I agree, it doesn’t help the over all awareness of the fish. If an angler perceives the population of steelhead to be great on the Deschutes, then why wouldn’t the rest of the regions fish be in just as good of shape? This is the daily battle we have when speaking with clients who want to go steelhead fishing.

Yes, each fishery is unique and will require a unique set of management policies to save/recover/help/whatever the steelhead in that watershed. But if the word doesn’t not get out about the over all state of the fish, especially in Washington, we will all be looking for a new place to swing our flies.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers Tagged With: Emerald Water Anglers, ESA Listing, Hoh River, native species, steelhead, Washington, Wild Steelhead

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