WSB hatchery article

[Saba Slayer]

There are two sides to every story...the review being done on the WSB project is something that was planned years ago by the state as a scientific review to access the project and see if we want to continue with the WSB species or move on to another species or just drop the program. This review is not being done due to problems with the program as the story makes it seem. The review is being done by scientists made up of folks from all over the country.
The money that DFW gives the project is from the saltwater stamp that you buy with your license. It was started years ago with the support of the Shedd's at AFTCO primarily to enable the hatchery.
The 4000 fish we lost in Redondo was due to a problem with the new desal treatment plant that was built a few yeras ago... It was not the fault of the WSB program... as a matter of fact the DFW considered suing the power plant for the lost fish.
Before every release the DFW sends a biologist to sample the health of the fish to be released...so i'm not sure where they got the info about deformed fish. If the fish are unhealthy and a threat to the species they are euthanized.
Anyone with a aquarium knows, that once a disease starts, it can spread pretty quickly (especially if you have 3000 to 5000 fish in the system)... So it seems to me that it's in the best interest of the species to euthanize the infected fish...even though it may bother the tree/fish huggers to see them die.
I'm not so sure I'd side with all the facts from this article as I think the San Diego Coastkeepers group has their own agenda and it doesn't seem to be too fisherman friendly...much like the Santa Monica "Heal the Bay" folks. I think this writer need to widen his sources.
Thanks for the link Mike...it's always good to see what the other side says.