Fish should be salvaged, not left to die

Dear editor:

These pictures give evidence to what happens when agencies or people with authority can't or won't work together.

We're not talking about hundreds of fish, but thousands of fish, largemouth bass, blue gill and trout.

The needless waste of a resource that coordination and a piece of paper (transport permit), could have prevented. Yes some fish would be lost, however more than 90% could have been saved. People who set on their authority and do nothing because the impact of these fish being transported to other bodies of water would not positively impact those waters is bureaucratic hogwash.

The environment we live in and technology available makes this a greater loss. Our state Fish and Game has little budget money for warm water species fish, there not native fish i.e. (trout, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon) and they will tell this, yet an attempt is made to stock ponds and move some fish because "BASS FISHING" is a multi-million dollar industry in our own state.

How do you put a price on the value of a person catching that fish either for consumption -- when legal size, or the chance of catch and release and catching again? There is no way to measure the offspring these fish could have produced. This is tantamount to a criminal action. If there was a fish kill by other means, state and local agencies would be focusing the attention to prosecute someone for this or at least preclude it from happening again. These fish are a resource that belongs to the state. The end result is we all loose no matter if you're a fisherman or not.

The Mountain Home Irrigation District toes the line for no-one other than themselves. The water in the reservoir is theirs and they will tell you so. No improvements to the lake are done because it might displace some water they claim to own. Having docks and ramps, etc., would give other means of use for the water which might lead to issues of preference. The water belongs to the state and its residents.

As defined by the Fish and Game WILDLIFE PROPERTY OF STATE-PRESERVATION. (a) Wildlife policy. All wildlife, including all wild animals, wild birds, and fish, within the state of Idaho, is hereby declared to be the property of the state of Idaho. It shall be preserved, protected, perpetuated, and managed. It shall be only captured or taken at such times or places, under such conditions, or by such means, or in such manner, as will preserve, protect, and perpetuate such wildlife, and provide for the citizens of this state and, as by law permitted to others, continued supplies of such wildlife for hunting, fishing and trapping.

This management technique was obviously not used in our situation. As the water level lowered the Fish and Game removed the creel limit. Attempts to recover remaining fish should have begun at that time because the next stage is to open the spillway plug completely.

At this point a collection plan should be in place to prevent this from happening in the future and the agencies involved should be made to adhere to it. It is common knowledge that the state BASS FEDERATION would jump at any chance to save the fish and they supply their own time, equipment and money. All it takes is a permit of authorization and cooperation between those people required to work for us.

Now, for a stretch of stream bed from Mountain Home Reservoir to the golf course (about 2 miles) we get stench from the dead fish, not to mention the flies this will attract. Eventually the remains of the fish will disappear. Snow and spring rains will carry them away or decomposition will hide the proof that some people just don't give a hoot.

I am forwarding these photos and this letter of discontent to other offices of responsibility in hopes of preventing this type of management practice continuing.

Troy Wilkins