because of school i got to spend some time at the duncan trout hatchery (does all the steelhead on the island outside of the stamp system) so heres the lowdown
the punt. was given 400 living gene bank hatchery brood stock "steelhead" (basically like domestic bows) in 2004, and then 1200 in october 2005. these were the last of the living gene bank as the program was shut down, and apparently will spell the end of hatchery steelhead on the island outside of the stamp, cow, and possible marble. as for the openings, the fish in the puntledge were put in purely for sport and they think its unlikely they'll sucessfulyl reproduce in any great #s. the nanaimo and oyster were opened for sport only, not because of an increase in fish. according to the guys they said conservation hasnt worked so their being opened so people just have a place to go try...
all in all pretty sad, and very disheartening. its plainly obvious the straight of georgia is sick and something, ANYTHING needs to be done or the way things are going it will be coho, then chinooks soon going the way of steel...