Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
 |
 |
 |
Ever wonder why the Herald does something? Or how? Or "what were they thinking?" Now you can find out. Executive Editor Ken Robertson and Managing Editor Rick Larson will do their best to explain what happens in the TCH newsroom - and why. |
Print
E-Mail
tool name
closeFriday, May. 22, 2009
Will trout fishing end in North Cascades lakes?
By Ken Robertson, Herald Executive Editor
Since I grew up in Montana about 14 miles from the Continental Divide, I’ve always valued wilderness for the solitude, solace and sense of place it instills.
But I never imagined a fish-stocking program that allows avid anglers with a hankering to hike into the wilds a chance to fish in alpine lakes — which otherwise would be barren of fish — would prompt a battle between two groups of conservationists.
But that’s what’s happening.
Les Blumenthal, of the Herald’s Washington, D.C., bureau, reports Sunday on the rift between anglers who want to continue the century-old program to stock the fishless lakes of the North Cascades National Park and the North Cascades Conservation Council, which wants the program to end.
In the middle is the park superintendent, who says he won’t allow the stocking to continue unless Congress specifically approves it.
What did the two sides tell Blumenthal?
“There are 400 other lakes they could be fishing in,” said a North Cascades Conservation Council board member, Dave Fluharty.
“I heard one person say a fish rising on a lake spoiled his wilderness experience,” reports a supporter of the stocking program, Sandy McKean.
Huh?
See Blumenthal’s report in Sunday’s Herald for the full account.
Ken Robertson: 582-1520; krobertson@tricityherald.com
Stay updated with the latest news from the Tri-City Herald with an RSS feed: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1309/story/97842.html
@Nyx.CommentBody@