OceanBlue
03-04-2003, 09:50 PM
There are a number of action items we need your help with! Please see below. Most of us have full-time jobs and enjoy spending our off-time playing, but this is important. "many hands make light work" - Please help where you can! Thanks!
The kick-off meeting was held at 7pm on 2/28/03 at the TVF&R training room on 209th & Blanton in Hillsboro.
Attendees: Pilar
Pilar's Mate
Mr. Fisherman
Bugleman
Hound
BRshooter
Rubber Hooks
Corrirod
Trick
Tim
Skein
Pete
Agenda: Background, introductions, ground-rule setting
Ghost Nets - Mr. Fisherman
Alternate Fishing Methods - Aunty M's report
Hatcheries on the CR - Bugleman
Anatomy of a netter - Crabbait
Conclusion & Next Steps
Ground rules included: Respecting the thoughts of others, sticking to the facts, leaving the emotion out of the room, and that the moderator had the final say.
It is important to note that this meeting was not about bashing gillnetters. It was not about banning commercial fishing. It was about getting nets out of the river. It was about how to prevent/stop damage to fish and wildlife. The group of us that met on 2/28 are interested and committed to hear the "rest of the story." We invite anyone with FACTS to provide information on why gillnetting is good for the Northwest.
If anyone who attended detects errors in the information below, please notify me. Thanks!
Mr. Fisherman showed a video on Puget Sound ghost nets and the devastation they cause. This made the rule about emotion pretty hard to stick to. Regarding the CR, it is believed that 50 gillnets were lost in a 5 year period above Bonneville and that as many as 250 have been lost over the last 30 years between McNary and Bonneville. It was reported that unless you possess a valid permit, it is a felony to be in possession of a net. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE GHOST NETS! Contact proper authorities.
Estimated loss to wildlife - Under review. Size of the problem - unknown, but likely to be huge. A June 20, 2002 report is quoted, "....some nets are a mile long and hundreds of feet wide" "... Jennison says two divers in California were killed when they were caught in a ghost net." The Washington Dept. of Natural Resources and the Northwest Straits Commission, a citizens organization are teaming together to do the clean up. Reference: http://www.nwstraits.org/KOMO4_net.pdf
Action items:
Find out which agency is the "proper authority" to contact and remove a ghost net - Pilar/Pilar's Mate
Find a ghost net - All
Find media contacts to attend the removal - Pilar's Mate
Who is Greg Iverson (he was featured in one of the video clips as a volunteer helping remove nets) - his face and name are familiar, but I can't place him - ALL
AuntyM submitted information on alternate fishing methods. (if interested in the full report, please email me) Her thorough bulletized format was very much appreciated. Each method was highlighted by pros and cons.
Action items: Find out how many/which ones have been used in Oregon and WA, when and how much effort was applied - AuntyM
Crabbait submitted information on the "Anatomy of a Gillnetter" - Report available via email (if interested, please email me)
Action items: Pete to find & post information on the gillnet study done by OSU.
What is the revenue generated in fees paid by gillnetters? OPEN - NEED HELP HERE
Government subsidies for gillnetters? What are they and how do they work? - OPEN - NEED HELP HERE
Sport vs. Commercial economic impact (CR only?) - RFA Janice
What is the commercial economic impact per fish retained? - RFA Janice
Bugleman presented information on the Hatcheries. 117 facilities, managed by 16 agencies are funded in part by the Mitchell act. There is NO language in the Mitchell act that indicates these hatcheries are for commercial harvest. It was also mentioned that funding may be available from the CFDA to assist in net research and removal.
Action items: Research funding available from the CFDA http://www.cfda.gov/public/viewprog.asp?progid=192 - will_e_fish
Kevin needs help with hatchery research - Hound
Netpen research is tied closely to hatchery info - Lured-In please contact Kevin
Why are nets not used in any other rivers in Oregon? - OPEN - NEED HELP HERE (we need facts not speculation, please)
What restricts the native american fishery? - ANYONE? (again, facts not speculation, please)
Next Steps: Find a ghost net & report it to Pilar or Pilar's Mate
Get on ODFW agenda (WDFW, Columbia River Compact?) - RFA Janice
Ask for accountability (gillnet registry, licensing of individual nets, tagging of nets with ID, requirement to report lost net, fund removal of lost nets)
Suggest alternate fishing methods.
Focus on the habitat aspect. Not just fish, but all life is endagered by ghost nets. Bottom line is, though, that these things have the potential to endanger our native fish populations.
Next meeting to be held the week of April 7 - need to find a venue - OPEN - NEED HELP HERE Prefer a location that is easily accessible (preferrably Jantzen Beach/Vancouver, WA area), free, and accommodating. - anyone have access to Elks Lodge hall or the likes? Perhaps on a Saturday mid-day?
Thanks everyone for your help in this matter! It looks like we're onto one, maybe two ghost nets. This is a good start. And remember, this issue won't go away overnight. Patience.
[ 03-10-2003, 07:15 AM: Message edited by: Pilar's Mate ]
The kick-off meeting was held at 7pm on 2/28/03 at the TVF&R training room on 209th & Blanton in Hillsboro.
Attendees: Pilar
Pilar's Mate
Mr. Fisherman
Bugleman
Hound
BRshooter
Rubber Hooks
Corrirod
Trick
Tim
Skein
Pete
Agenda: Background, introductions, ground-rule setting
Ghost Nets - Mr. Fisherman
Alternate Fishing Methods - Aunty M's report
Hatcheries on the CR - Bugleman
Anatomy of a netter - Crabbait
Conclusion & Next Steps
Ground rules included: Respecting the thoughts of others, sticking to the facts, leaving the emotion out of the room, and that the moderator had the final say.
It is important to note that this meeting was not about bashing gillnetters. It was not about banning commercial fishing. It was about getting nets out of the river. It was about how to prevent/stop damage to fish and wildlife. The group of us that met on 2/28 are interested and committed to hear the "rest of the story." We invite anyone with FACTS to provide information on why gillnetting is good for the Northwest.
If anyone who attended detects errors in the information below, please notify me. Thanks!
Mr. Fisherman showed a video on Puget Sound ghost nets and the devastation they cause. This made the rule about emotion pretty hard to stick to. Regarding the CR, it is believed that 50 gillnets were lost in a 5 year period above Bonneville and that as many as 250 have been lost over the last 30 years between McNary and Bonneville. It was reported that unless you possess a valid permit, it is a felony to be in possession of a net. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE GHOST NETS! Contact proper authorities.
Estimated loss to wildlife - Under review. Size of the problem - unknown, but likely to be huge. A June 20, 2002 report is quoted, "....some nets are a mile long and hundreds of feet wide" "... Jennison says two divers in California were killed when they were caught in a ghost net." The Washington Dept. of Natural Resources and the Northwest Straits Commission, a citizens organization are teaming together to do the clean up. Reference: http://www.nwstraits.org/KOMO4_net.pdf
Action items:
Find out which agency is the "proper authority" to contact and remove a ghost net - Pilar/Pilar's Mate
Find a ghost net - All
Find media contacts to attend the removal - Pilar's Mate
Who is Greg Iverson (he was featured in one of the video clips as a volunteer helping remove nets) - his face and name are familiar, but I can't place him - ALL
AuntyM submitted information on alternate fishing methods. (if interested in the full report, please email me) Her thorough bulletized format was very much appreciated. Each method was highlighted by pros and cons.
Action items: Find out how many/which ones have been used in Oregon and WA, when and how much effort was applied - AuntyM
Crabbait submitted information on the "Anatomy of a Gillnetter" - Report available via email (if interested, please email me)
Action items: Pete to find & post information on the gillnet study done by OSU.
What is the revenue generated in fees paid by gillnetters? OPEN - NEED HELP HERE
Government subsidies for gillnetters? What are they and how do they work? - OPEN - NEED HELP HERE
Sport vs. Commercial economic impact (CR only?) - RFA Janice
What is the commercial economic impact per fish retained? - RFA Janice
Bugleman presented information on the Hatcheries. 117 facilities, managed by 16 agencies are funded in part by the Mitchell act. There is NO language in the Mitchell act that indicates these hatcheries are for commercial harvest. It was also mentioned that funding may be available from the CFDA to assist in net research and removal.
Action items: Research funding available from the CFDA http://www.cfda.gov/public/viewprog.asp?progid=192 - will_e_fish
Kevin needs help with hatchery research - Hound
Netpen research is tied closely to hatchery info - Lured-In please contact Kevin
Why are nets not used in any other rivers in Oregon? - OPEN - NEED HELP HERE (we need facts not speculation, please)
What restricts the native american fishery? - ANYONE? (again, facts not speculation, please)
Next Steps: Find a ghost net & report it to Pilar or Pilar's Mate
Get on ODFW agenda (WDFW, Columbia River Compact?) - RFA Janice
Ask for accountability (gillnet registry, licensing of individual nets, tagging of nets with ID, requirement to report lost net, fund removal of lost nets)
Suggest alternate fishing methods.
Focus on the habitat aspect. Not just fish, but all life is endagered by ghost nets. Bottom line is, though, that these things have the potential to endanger our native fish populations.
Next meeting to be held the week of April 7 - need to find a venue - OPEN - NEED HELP HERE Prefer a location that is easily accessible (preferrably Jantzen Beach/Vancouver, WA area), free, and accommodating. - anyone have access to Elks Lodge hall or the likes? Perhaps on a Saturday mid-day?
Thanks everyone for your help in this matter! It looks like we're onto one, maybe two ghost nets. This is a good start. And remember, this issue won't go away overnight. Patience.
[ 03-10-2003, 07:15 AM: Message edited by: Pilar's Mate ]