Gill netting in mainsteam of Columbia now

[Laserman]

The gill netters are in the River right now, off and on through early February. Even though it is suppose to be a Sturgeon Fishiery, they are allowed to sell Spring Chinook. I heard that the incidental catch of Spring Chinook is the highest they have seen in 20 years, for this early. Has anyone that has been fishing seen their boats out during the day? They can fish both day and night so they may only fish the night.

Guess what, the fleet is not being monitored by checkers at all, just the quick reporting rule. What do you think they are a really targeting, Sturgeon or Springers?

[BUGLEMAN]

It is time to start sueing the state. This just wreeeeks!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think the dates have been set yet for the commercial spring chinook season have they?
So Kev which group that is fighting this battle can we sign you up for?

[ 01-20-2004, 02:07 PM: Message edited by: Stew ]

[fishchaser]

We all need to get together and BOYCOTT the only two states that allow gill netting. those two being, OREGON & WASHINGTON!!!!

If no one bought a licence, piece of tackle, bait, boat, or anything that has to do with fishing, then, and only then wiil we see who really pays for these fish!!!

I know alot of people would go out of buisness, but we have to show these state people that you can't do it THIS WAY! I don't care if they are out there with rods and reels, More power to them, Just GET THE *&%#$*@ NETS OUT OF THE WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BUGLEMAN]

Stew,

Which one is the best? I would think the steelheaders would be very interested in nets killing ESA steelhead.

We are! We have a paid lobbyist in fact. NSIA and RFA are also very active in this! You can bet that you won't be hearing the last of this as far as the mortality allowance goes.

[garyk]

Remembering last year, when we began fishing in March, there was a heavy preponderence of nates in the Columbia. They were making up half to 2/3rds of our catch.

It would be pretty interesting to see the Commercials use up a big chunk (or all) of their allowable ESA impact on spring chinook this early in the season.

Of course they'd have to report those caught nates or be monitored - and it sounds like the monitorings not happening

[Lured In]

Whoa! ...slow down there folks. Yes we all need to be aware of what the netters are doing, but lets base it on fact. ALL of the commercial activity (including dates and harvest success) can be found on ODFW's website.

The netters first season is a sturgeon season that allows the harvest of fin clipped spring chinook. They have 5 periods starting on Tuesday January 13, and each following Tuesday.

On January 13, they netted ~400 sturgeon and NO springers.

Whoever was sharing that they are catching lots of them is either misinformed or looking to spread false rumors.

Here is the link to all things Columbia River.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/...tml#LastAction

Here are the results of the first netting period.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/...onlandings.PDF

[fish-bones]

Hey guys!!!! I posted this idea about sueing,and I didnt get much response to helping me find out who is the one to sue.I would like to find out who is the best dept. or source to file against.We surely won,t get any help from the FISHERY-BOY,S.They work for the GILLNETTERS,not for the sportsmen.I can,t believe theres even a gillnet season when they keep cutting us down.Is sturgeon getting scarce for sportsmen,but not for scumbag gillnetters???? Am I confused on this game the FISHERY-BOYS play???? It shows how much good attending these meetings does.The only solution is the banning of net,s in WA. AND OREGON.The FISHERY-BOYS WOULD MISS THOSE CHECKS THEY MUST GET FROM THE GILLIES!!!

FISH-BONES: [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

what a joke these FISHERY-BOYS ARE.
iT,S TO BAD WE DON,T GET TO VOTE THESE BUMS OUT OF OFFICE.They know that and are glad for it.


QUOTE]Originally posted by BUGLEMAN:
It is time to start sueing the state. This just wreeeeks!!!!!!!!!!! [/QUOTE]

[garyk]

Well, maybe Laserman can clear things up since it's his original post that mentions the salmon bycatch and no-monitoring.

If in fact there is no monitoring, than 'no springers caught' is pretty much what I would expect them to report.

[Laserman]

Lure In

I am not spreading any rumors or hear say. The gill-netters are in for Sturgeon, and are catching some Salmon (One gill netter held up a fish for me to see and said he had 17 more just like it. I would not report something like this unless I saw it for myself.

WDFW sent me a e-mail saying that no by catch (AKA Salmon)has been reported as of this morning. If I get a responce back tomorrow that says no fish were caught today. I will give the WDFW enforcement the boat numbers of the gill-netter that showed me the fish. All I want is to have them report all there fish they catch. I do not belive they are doing this. I wonder how many fish they put in their own freezer?In the past it was quite a few.

[Wreckless]

A commercial fisherman, stashing fish..................I could tell stories

Before I'm "flamed", the proper authorities were notified.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Isn't there provision for "Personal Use" that are not recorded in gill netters take?

I have friends that have told me about VAST personal use

Last fall I actually got a phone call from a guy who wanted to know how many salmon I wanted. He left a message with my wife.

I thought it was a joke. I called the guy back and he was involved in a (tribal?) gill net fishery above Bonneville for URB's. He said they had "more fish than they could get rid of". When he realized I was a wrong number, he quickly hung up.

How many of you guys have sent a letter to your state reps about the Columbia River Springer Allocation? Good place to start.

Use this link to find your rep in Oregon

http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/findset.htm

This one for Washington

http://www.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

Write a quick letter asking for a 70% sport 30% commercial split!

If you PM me I'll copy you my letter.

[skeezer]

the netters get 1.60 a lb for sturgeon and only .30 cents for the springers,thats what the law officer told me sunday and that it would only last acouple days because they would reach there quota fast with all the fish that are present...He also said they were doing it at night only....

[finclipped]

Originally posted by skeezer:
the netters get 1.60 a lb for sturgeon and only .30 cents for the springers,thats what the law officer told me sunday and that it would only last acouple days because they would reach there quota fast with all the fish that are present...He also said they were doing it at night only....

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">That officer is full of.... Springers and sturgeon are the highest priced fish for the commercial fisherman. Simply impossible to get 0.30 per pound for salmon and 1.60 for sturgeon.

[Lured In]

Laserman...I was not disputing anything you said. Only that none were reported for the first period. (Jan 13-14, 6am-6am, 24 hours).

If you have heard or seen otherwise, ODFW and WDFW know nothing about it. The results from the current (6am today through 6am tomorrow) fishery should be posted by weeks end.

As far as the netters not reporting, well that's no different than the sport guys that don't mark their tag or don't release unmarked fish. Nothing can be done unless someone is looking for it.

If you see them catching springers and none are being reported, definitely report it to ODFW. In the summary of this fishery, they estimated 50 springers to be taken over the 5 periods.

Here is the link outlining this fishery.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/...ec19notice.pdf

[Silver Hilton]

Based on the page that Lured showed us, catches are required to be reported to the WDFW by the fish buyer, not the fisherman, by 10:00am the next morning. So if the gillnetters are catching and selling salmon, it won't be a secret.

[R Jackson]

Not if they sell them out of the backs of their trucks, Silver.

[Laserman]

To Garyk
Thank you for your post.

To Lure In
I have a tendency to over react to posts at times. Sorry.

[Silver Hilton]

Originally posted by R Jackson:
Not if they sell them out of the backs of their trucks, Silver.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Well, sure, if that is what they are doing. But don't commercials have to sell to a licensed fish buyer? The indians can sell out of their trucks, but not the commercials, according to my understanding.

[R Jackson]

You're right SH, they are supposed to sell to licenced dealers. I am a cynic and this early sturgeon net fishery has always been a red flag to me.

[garyk]

The issue here is not whether gillnetters are selling salmon to buyers, to neighbors, or keeping them for personal use, or tossing them back.

The key issue is that chinook are being caught and thus far not reported. It's this UNREPORTED catch of chinook that needs watching.

A percentage of the chinook catch goes against the gillnetters ESA impact allottment.

The more chinook they catch, the sooner their season is ended. A portion of the throw-backs are estimated to die and this assumed mortality is applied against allowable impacts. As you can see, there is a strong DISINCENTIVE to accurately report.

Working at night and with apparently no monitoring how many chinook do you think they'll report catching, especially unclipped ones that are returned?

As happens too often it's a matter of
'No Data = No Problem'

If commercials want to continue using this nonselective method (gillnets), than it's time for observers to be on each of their boats.

[ 01-21-2004, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: garyk ]

[boater]

[quote]Originally posted by Silver Hilton:

But don't commercials have to sell to a licensed fish buyer?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">nope, they can get a Direct retail endorsement from the wildlife department and sell them directly to the public, remember at the meeting that older lady was speaking for the gillnetters and said that she would probly have to buy an ice machine to help her delelop her "niche" market for the fish, she is selling fish directly to the public, no doubt in my mind, here`s a link to the rcw LINK

[Got Fish?]

The no monitoring thing really stinks. :depressed: The numbers that the observers get can figure the ratio of net sets vs, wild salmon caught. Who knows how many wilds salmon are going to be held this year without proper observation! It's mot like they are going to willingly report them...

[ 01-21-2004, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: Got Fish? ]

[fish-bones]

Is there any reason why we can,t get these guy,s to help us out in getting rid of the GILLNET BOY,S???It seems to me we have lot,s of resources to help end gillnetting in our states!!Some guy,s seem to think we will never get rid of gillnetting! I don,t agree. We just have to gather our sources into one ssssssssssssstrong force and go after it once and for all.I want to be able to drive by a gillnet boat with a for sale sign on it instead of nets.

FISH-BONES

Originally posted by Stew:
We are! We have a paid lobbyist in fact. NSIA and RFA are also very active in this! You can bet that you won't be hearing the last of this as far as the mortality allowance goes.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[Thumper]

Meanwhile the Columbia is teeming with native steelhead. I'm sure none of those are being netted. Here we go again.

Originally posted by Thumper:
Meanwhile the Columbia is teeming with native steelhead. I'm sure none of those are being netted. Here we go again.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I'm not sure I follow you Jack :whazzup: Please clarify