60/40 split

[tag-a-long]

Well, do you think we got a fair shake?

I do. Thanks to all those that lobbied for this!!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] 60/40 split... Do you think its fair?

[Abalone]

I think 100/Zero would be better yet.

Realistically ! It's a start.


And Thanks again Pete and all those that made the effort.

Now lets see how they layout the season ?

[ 02-04-2004, 07:20 AM: Message edited by: Abalone ]

[Pete]

Actually, it may not be. There is still the option of in-season adjustments up to 5%. And, there is not yet any buffer on the commercials, so if they exceed their allowable impact the sport season can still be shut prematurely. And this is on top of a significant cut from the sport allocation in previous years!

Learn what to do HERE

[Abalone]

The way it was explained to me by Dudley Nelson.
Last year was a low water year and that concentrated the fish, Thus; They got lucky
and harvested over their Allotment.
This year this is not likely to happen because of all the water the fish will be more scattered.

However; Lets get em off the river if we can.

I believe Ifish can be the instrument that makes this happen so lets all unite on behalf of Sportsfisherman.

[dawhunt]

Southwest Washington Anglers wanted a 65-35 split
this was voted on by our club.But 60-40 is a lot better then the other options.It seems to me that the gillnetters or the WDFW just keep whittleing away our fair share of the catch and the gillnetters just keep getting a little bit more .
Now if they go over their allotment again like last year we'll get shutdown again .Something is not right with this picture.Whens it going to end ??? .If we don't get organized as a group SOON we're going to lose it all not just in Washington but in Oregon we need to join forces and be united ALL OF US !! not just one or two of us.the people we have now can not do it all by their selves.We have to be orderly not rowdy or overly aggresive because they won't listen to anger.Heck they won't listen to anything else either.I think their deaf.Maybe we should all get together and give them smoked salmon and sturgeon and money like the gill net Assoc. does ???Whatever we do we have to do it as a group not just one or two people.The I-Fish group is a good start.
Bob Dawson
President:
Southwest Washington Anglers

[ 02-04-2004, 08:27 AM: Message edited by: dawhunt ]

[Abalone]

Pete:
Has anybody compiled a list of politicians that are supporters of Sportsfishing and supporters of Gillnets ? How many legistlators purchase a Fishing License and tag in Oregon or Washington ?
We need to identify our Friends and our Foes.

They may not understand anything about the river but they do understand the power of the Vote.

[Pete]

Dawhunt, we ARE an organized group and I've posted time and again what WE as INDIVIDUALS must do to get our public officials to pay attention. Have you written to your local representatives to contact WDFW about a buffer on the commercial allotment? There's still time!

Abalone, the way to turn a foe into a friend is by contacting them with information and letting them know we care how they respond. If only 5% of Ifishers did this, we'd have a landslide!

[jokester]

Originally posted in the article:

More than 497,000 wild and hatchery spring chinook are forecast to enter the Columbia River this year.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">This number is the combination of CR URB's as well as the Willamette run too, right?

-jokester

[ 02-04-2004, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: jokester ]

[IFISH4U]

It will all change, they usually wait till they can see if its a good run or not then change. Hopefully they dont close it down because there is going to be a late run this year.

[Abalone]

Pete:

[Silver Hilton]

Jokester, the Upriver Brights are fall fish. I believe the number you list includes all fish that enter the Columbia river mouth, which includes the Willamette and Cowlitz runs, which are significant.

[Abalone]

Pete: I tried to write Wyden and email this moring but his site was messed up and I couldn't read the script. Do you think it is best to send a form letter is would it be better to use my own words ?

[Pete]

Abalone,
Best to use your own words. Also, the federal officials are much less important than your local State Senator and State Representative at this point ... in the other thread is a link to the look-up utility which will give you their e-mail and phone numbers.

[Straydog]

One's own words explaining how it will affect one personally is best. If you can offer an economic angle it is even better.

Form letters are better than nothing but one's own heartfelt words are best.

[Bounty Hunter]

I sent a letters a month ago and have since received 2 letters back from one of the Oregon City area representatives. His name escapes me, but I will scan a copy of the letter for all to see. He spoke of a tour of Fisherman's and BC Angling post and seems very in tune with our concerns. I will get back to you guys on this...

[Pete]

Time is running out ... What we are concerned about is that there is no buffer for the commercial allocation and no assurance that if they exceed their impact on wild fish it will cut into the sport allocation and bring our season to an end. The decision will be final TOMORROW, so it's important to contact your STATE legislator TODAY and have them CALL ODFW to express concern for the lack of a buffer on the commercial quota.

Contact information for your legislator in Washington State

Contact information for your legislator in Oregon State

[garyk]

ttt

Is it fair - NO.

A handful of commercial operators are getting a way-outsized portion of the available ESA impact.

Furthermore, if the commercials would move to completely selective methods with virtually zero mortality (like fishtraps or removal at the fish ladders), there would be virtually no controversy, and the sport season would be fully maximized. But they REFUSE to make these changes.

Finally, I just paid an increased license fee and in return see my recreational opportunity reduced and given to commercial operators - and a big [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] to ODFW's Steve King who's guided this allocation proposal as well as the one to increase the gillnetters kill of wild steelhead.

Phone or email your Oregon and Washington legislators! If you don't play you cannot win.

[RiverRogue]

This is the first I saw mention of the fact that many sportmen supported a fee increase for licenses and tags during last years legislative session. ODFW requested that increase or a number of biologists, programs, and hatcheries would be cut. Many of us were strong supporters of that increase. This is the consideration we get for that.

[dawhunt]

Dear Pete :grin: ,Yes I have written letters to my Reps. and Sen.,not just this time but several times thru the years.I'm also a part of fishermen and women who put their fingers to work writeing letters and even makeing phone calls.What I am remiss in is attenting the meetings as my club, has a person that goes to them for the group.BUT !! it has come to our attention that maybe just maybe he might not be doing exactlly what we ask him to do or say.SO !! myself and three other members from my club are going to start attending as many meetings as we can.I can not attend sat. meeting as I'm going to be working in my clubs booth at the show.I've only attended one meeting and this person was very quite while I was there.When I stated we need to band together,I didn't mean just you or me or I-fish there are several hundred other fisher people out there that do nothing but complain we need them also,we need to show a united front of thousands not 20 or 30,I believe this the only we'll get them to listen.I in NO WAY meant anything against you or the others that are trying.The gillnets have paid lobbyists(spelling)and they have BIG BUSINESS behind them all we have is US !!.I'm sorry if somehow I offended you I had no intention of doing so.
In my letters to make a long story short,I asked why we were being held responsable for the gillnetters overfishing why was the buffer put on us,why do we keep paying the price for them.why did we have to give up 5% of our allotment.It was 65 sports and 35 gillnets last year ,we lost 5% this year its going to be 60% sports and 40% gillnets and we will pay the penalty for the gillnets if they go over their allotment.I and others feel that to penalize us for them is totally unfair.Thats pretty much it in a short cut way.again if I offended you I'm sorry.
Bob Dawson :smile:

[ 02-04-2004, 06:49 PM: Message edited by: dawhunt ]

[Gun Rod Bow]

How can anyone think it is fair?????

* The gillnetters have overharvested for the last two years and the sports have had to pay the price by cutting our seasons.

* We get higher license and tag fees

* We have a greater economic benefit, more people effected by a factor of what, 20?

* We have a more effective rate of releasing non target fish by about double

* So we get our percentage REDUCED

We got shafted gang, and like Pete says, unless some people show up in OC tomorrow and push for a buffer, and let the decision makers know we don't like getting shafted, we are telling them it's OK.

Sheesh (rant over)

[Abalone]

Pete:
In the many years I have observed this issue little has changed. The same tactics have been applied with much the same results. I would like to see something new to draw attention to the issue. Something that would make the evening news. Depending on the outcome of todays meeting
we could organize a public protest. Pick a spot near Portland where the Gillnetters operate and
do a picket on the water. As many people as we can muster with Signs on the water in our boats
protesting the practice of shortening the season for Sportsman due to overharvest by the Commerscials. We have a right to speak out publicly about the issue. Gillnetters operate at night so
at least everyone would be off from work. If the turn out is large enough to draw attention from the Marine patroll it will be on the Nightly news. At least we would have a chance to make our case publicly. Of course it would be critical not to interefere with their operations as I am sure it would result in arrest and be considered illegal. Let them know we are organized now.

Just a thought !

[Pete]

Abalone, the commercial season will likely be only a day or two long. Remember that the commercials use gear and seasons that are legal. Any interference with them would be a serious problem for us. I do think there will be opportunities in the near future for a "boat-illa". Watch this board for an announcement!

A proactive approach to involvement might be to volunteer as an observer on a net boat. That's something I want to do to better understand what goes on with that fleet.

[Abalone]

No one is suggesting that we interefere with the commercials. But if we continue to make little progress towards a better balance then this is something to consider. We wouln't even need to go near the nets. we could do a Boat rally down town Portland. The idea is to draw attention to the issue from the public. What's fair is fair and letting the Commision shut down sports anglers because the Commercials overharvested isn't fair.
More then anything I would like to see the season extended all the way through April and into May when the CR peaks.

Does this seem unreasonable ? I think there would be a lot more particaption from fisherman then there would be from attendance at one of the Compact meetings. We all talk about unity and getting more fisherman to participate this is just another way to do that.

[Abalone]

Originally posted by Pete:
Abalone, the commercial season will likely be only a day or two long. Remember that the commercials use gear and seasons that are legal. Any interference with them would be a serious problem for us. I do think there will be opportunities in the near future for a "boat-illa". Watch this board for an announcement!

A proactive approach to involvement might be to volunteer as an observer on a net boat. That's something I want to do to better understand what goes on with that fleet.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Pete: What has happened in past years is this: They get their one day season and if they don't meet their quota they have another meeting to decide when to let them back in the river to finish their catch. This is usually when they go way over. This is what has happened the last two years.

As I have said before the river level is way up from the past two seasons and the fish will be more scattered making it less likely that they will get their quota the first time out and it will make it less
likely that they will overfish.

A proactive approach might also be to choke the Willamette Channel down town Portland with
fishing boats in April when the close down the Columbia because of overharvest. This would provide a graphic display of how many Sportsman there are in Oregon and how it effects the economy. What would 1000+ Jet Sleds, cruisers, Fiberhulls and other fishing boats look like in front of the Down Town waterfront ? That would be impressive wouldn't it ?