06-28-2013, 11:30 PM
I leave to IDFG to make the decision about how many and of what size the creel limit should be. They are the biologists. I don't always keep fish but I'm not a strict catch and release guy either.
I agree that the focus should be on habitat improvement to increase natural production. Such an approach would surely reduce the costs of the put and take style of stocking. I can't say that I agree with the assertion that the IDFG stocks triploids for the purpose of making us dependent on them for fishing opportunity. Typically when stocking fish that are non-native to a drainage the IDFG will stock triploids to prevent the establishment of a reproducing population that could displace or hybridize with native fish.
Some fisheries currently do not have the necessary habitat to provide productive spawning and I believe it's fine to continue stocking to support a fishery. I fish both stocked and natural production waters and prefer the natural fisheries but I enjoy both. I would like to see more fisheries become self sustaining both for budget reasons and for long term health of the fisheries.
I also would prefer it if every non-native species was eliminated from the state. I realize that sets me at odds with a few people here but I can state my preference just as others have done. I do enjoy fishing for the warmwater species once or twice a year but if those options went away, I would not miss them. As long as the non-natives are restricted to water bodies that are not conneted to other systems and prevent unwanted establishment in new systems I am fine. If we stopped stocking non-natives we could use the money to improve habitat for the species that belong in Idaho.
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I agree that the focus should be on habitat improvement to increase natural production. Such an approach would surely reduce the costs of the put and take style of stocking. I can't say that I agree with the assertion that the IDFG stocks triploids for the purpose of making us dependent on them for fishing opportunity. Typically when stocking fish that are non-native to a drainage the IDFG will stock triploids to prevent the establishment of a reproducing population that could displace or hybridize with native fish.
Some fisheries currently do not have the necessary habitat to provide productive spawning and I believe it's fine to continue stocking to support a fishery. I fish both stocked and natural production waters and prefer the natural fisheries but I enjoy both. I would like to see more fisheries become self sustaining both for budget reasons and for long term health of the fisheries.
I also would prefer it if every non-native species was eliminated from the state. I realize that sets me at odds with a few people here but I can state my preference just as others have done. I do enjoy fishing for the warmwater species once or twice a year but if those options went away, I would not miss them. As long as the non-natives are restricted to water bodies that are not conneted to other systems and prevent unwanted establishment in new systems I am fine. If we stopped stocking non-natives we could use the money to improve habitat for the species that belong in Idaho.
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