PSA and CCA needs our help!!!

[G-Man]

For those of you who are aware of the current struggle between the commercial fisherpeople and the responsible management of our State's fishing resources it may come as a surprise that the sportfishing interest is beginning to get a leg up on the commercials. It seems that the current governor, laying a foundation for a future in Washington DC, has taken to supporting the rehabilitation of our fishing resources. However, the commercial fishing interest is pressing hard to reverse what is taking place and currently is attempting to get a detrimental bill passed. Please have a read of what Ron has to say and if you feel strongly about the future of sportfishing in our State, I urge you to email your district Senator. Help on finding out whom you should email is contained in the letter below as well as a form letter you may send to your Senator.

If don't know about the CCA (Coastal Conservation Association) or the PSA (Puget Sound Anglers) have a look at the following links. They are fighting for us and can always use our help.

http://www.ccapnw.org/

http://www.pugetsoundanglers.org/

From Ron Garner:

Hello to all,

Please click on and listen to the hearing below and forward to the part listed about bill #5127. The bill starts at about the 1 hr 15 minute mark and last for about 38 minutes. You should be outraged as this is a clearly orchestrated hearing to badmouth the WDFW commission to have it removed. Ed Owens, in the hearing, is the Commercial Fishing Lobbyist. He does a great job playing his part cool calm and collected and undermining the commission along with Ken Jacobsen who is the one leading the hearing.

[url=http://www..tvw.org/media/mediaplayer.cfm?evid=2009020054&TYPE=V&CFID=2137235&CFTOKEN=80364272&bhcp=1]http://www..tvw.org/media/mediaplayer.cfm?evid=2009020054&TYPE=V&CFID=2137235&CFTOKEN=80364272&bhcp=1[/url]

We have been working with Fish NW lobbyist to keep the commission going. We have for the first time ever had a voting voice on the commission and WDFW. The commission has always been stacked by the commercials of the Natural Resources Commission. Will Roehl was the only senate approved chair (meaning he cannot be removed by the governor) and when he left, he tried to lay the path for Fred Shiosaki to keep the commercial control. Gregoire got rid of him and started with commissioners that were unbiased. Now we have things working in our favor and the NRC does not have the power over the commission now. They are trying to revamp it or remove it. The NRC is the federal control over WDFW and right now it is lost. They will do anything to keep it in their power. Mark Doumitt and Harriet Spanel are now gone from NRC and Ken Jacobsen is the one left in power over the WDFW trying to go back and force commercial fishing.

They have said they would put the power back in the governors hands-which means down the road they can rework over the next governor to get full control back. And they will

We in the recreational fishing community feel we have representation for the first time in history. The commission appears to to be following the governors path of the importance of the sportfishing industry in Washington State. Don't forget that the commercials have had over a hundred years of intertwining their way into Washington government to protect their interest. They will not quit. They have the stronghold over Alaska and a failure here can set precedence for Alaska.

If you do not know your Senator, go to this link below and fill in the info. It will bring your district up and your senator. Click on he or she's email. When you fill in the blanks make sure and click on the box to get a return reply, which means they have to read it and also click on the box to include the representatives too.

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

You may use this form letter I have created or write your own. Please forward this on to others, as this is in the house now and needs to be addressed ASAP and killed. Fill in your Senators name and then the bottom.


Thanks

Ron



Dear Senator ____________

I am writing you asking that Senate Bill 5127 not be passed out of Committee. I watched the testimony and questioning on TVW. We need to use good science to manage our state fish and wildlife resources. I’ve attended Commission meetings and know how a successful Commission should function as we have worked with them in the past. Since the hardline commercial interests were always represented in the past, we finally have a Commission that is there to do their job and listen to all parties as well as protect our resources. Our fin-clipped salmon fisheries are finally on the right track of saving our precious wild salmon. They have always taken a backseat in the past.

The WDFW Commission is, in my opinion, working as well as it can considering the lack of support it receives from the legislature, the Governor’s office, and WDFW staff. Allegations were made that staff is stressed by making presentations to the Commission. If the Commission is asking hard questions, then maybe staff needs to re-examine their data. The Commission was described as not knowing what they are doing. I think the current Commission has a good grasp of the need for science driven resource management, something I haven’t seen in previous years. The legislative mandate for the WDFW and the Commission is to “…preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage….conserve…in a manner that does not impair the resource…” RCW 77.04.012. I’ve seen more positive action from the Commission in the past two years concerning science driven management than I’ve seen in the past. At the same time, I’ve seen a building level of negative comments against Commission action from special interest groups that are not as concerned over the resources as they should be. I have to wonder whether these groups share the same concern over the long-term health of our wildlife resources that is shown by the recreational community.

The Commission isn’t broken. The process of how they do their job needs to be addressed. The Commission is my avenue to the WDFW for opportunities to hunt and fish and to address my concerns about resource management. The Commissioners have the best interests of the resource in mind when they make hard decisions about when, when, and how the resource can be utilized. Washington residents should all be sitting at the same table when resource allocations are made and we should all have a say in how it is done. The Commission provides us with that opportunity and that was the premise behind Referendum 45.

That testimony on the SB5127 was very commercially biased or orchestrated by Ken Jacobsen as we know a lot of what is going on with NRC. We expected the undermining of the commission to happen as soon as Will Roehl was not able to leave Fred Shiosake to follow the commercial stranglehold over our resources with the commission. Ken painted a lowly picture of Fred left by the commission. Fred is a great man but was not who we wanted in charge. It is time for a change for caring for our resources and the commission is that change and it is working. They are all extremely well educated and that is why they were chosen. Not to lead down the arranged path that was tried to be laid for them. Please let them continue to do their job that they were selected to do. We in the recreational fishing community feel we have representation for the first time in our history. The commission appears to be following the governor’s path of the importance of sportfishing and the sportfishing industry in Washington State while saving our resource.

I am asking you to vote “No” on SB 5127 in the Committee hearings. Leave the commission exactly the way it is, with no changes.

Thank you.



Your Name

Plea

[Aaron]

I emailed them both.

[G-Man]

Thanks, Aaron,

With more and more people adopting a "green" way of life, I think the time is ripe for some major reform in our State's wildlife management. I'm hopin' that we can keep it rolling and reap the rewards in the not to distant future.

[Rosann G]

E-mails sent to all 3 of my legislators. We need to keep bumping this to the top to make sure everyone sees, reads and responds to it if we care about the fish in this state. Thank you for posting it G-Man.
R

[G-Man]

The internet is a wonderful tool that allows you to check up on your elected officials and keep abreast of what is going on in Olympia. The latest activity report on this bill shows that the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission has taken sides with the commercial fishing interest which pretty much tells me the current WDFW commission is rattling the right cages. You know, even if you aren't old enough to vote, you can still influence policy. Email your Senator and representatives and let them now how you feel about the management of our wildlife resources and how you look forward to enjoying what our great State has to offer. You are a current resident, future tax payer and voter and they will listen! :thumright

[swedefish4life1]

The Only Chance is the (Federal level) Bottom line pray more Orcas Whales to die soon that is the only chance for Salmon the other is policy and politics and deeper dirt for a nicer word to be used if the whales die the Salmon have a chance .
A small one but a Fighting Chance:cheers:

(The Feds will come to feed):cheers: the other is done with helping and fixing fish the anglers are just to lame to get it they pulled the plug years ago on fish for fish.

FEDS can win this war the other policy and politics and to break it down for the slower learners:colors:#-o :cyclopsan for every sportsman group or support there are (20 Top lobby lawyers$$ waiting to support the tribes and commercals get it done)!

Lobby support=(Judge Bolt) Braindead= Bolt in the 70's sleeping with the tribe rules and law chrushings and the back door man did all of this and who you think is your support is in bed with the end results Destruction of Fish why simple mans greed and the policy to get it done.

Let me smile and shake your hands over the years while all are systems were netted to death telling the sporstman who are (dipsticks) and love the feel good stuff and never really live it and see it= the ocean conditions did this LMAO!!! Global warming, your house being built did this LMAO!!!!

(NETS DID THIS!!!) Real Simple stuff did man mess some up as well yes but Netting these systems 24-7 without relief did this for you about you and not us= the DESTRUCTION OF FISH!!

Every river system in are entire opening of the North sound they have without SHAME netted to death and not a word in any of these meetings#-o cubscouts gone bad on the simple one (NETS KILL FISH not single Rods) there is not a group of anglers on any system that is not netted that can stop healthy fish runs
well maybe one#-o :colors: lol

You can paint this thing 200 ways (Lobby support wins the deals$$$$$) even the dirty ones and there backed to the max!

So pray more Orcas die that alone will bring the (real John Wayne back) for fish none of this feel good stuff will .
So whales die the (Feds will feed!!! )

Bring the Feds they alone will get this one the other is just paper and coffee and donuts and 20 years to late like most:-#

Help fish= (write the Feds) and they were here this summer and watched the zero real returns of Coho back when there were thousands every year coming back we gave them all I hoped it helped

I also pray the Great Orcas slide even farther soon that will stop this BS the other bring the popcorn and $$

Netting inside waters that are feeding areas and last stops to make there wholy waters back Called (Puget Sound) inside feed and life support for fish cannot be netted ever and all are States river systems kill the nets 6 years Fish everywhere simple plain and easy until these things are done more destruction and the Sand Shark will soon be the target Sporting fish =Bite that!!!

Tight Lines Fish on!
Bring On the Feds:compress:

[KUP]

G-Man: Thanks for posting this and keeping it forefront.
E-mails sent to all 3 of my legislators, too.
Even though I am a die hard muskie fan,
I am a NW native, born and raised and
every man woman and child in this state needs to take part
in this. Even if they aren't anglers,
because this is our native fish and we all need to get behind the recovery efforts if ALL
parties represented are going to have anything left to give to our next generation.
Get involved with your local CCA Chapter & Good Luck and count me in.
Koop

[G-Man]

Thanks KUP and all others who have emailed their legislators!

We can't leave it up to Federal Officials to step in and take care of things, they only act once it is too late (Snake River Sockeye). Each state government is empowered to handle it's own resources and can, if properly motivated and educated, make laws to protect it's resources. This has happened in other states, with the CCA and other groups assisting, with amazing results. Just ask anyone who has fished in Florida recently what the effects of having a net ban has done for the saltwater sport fishing industry. This was not the result of the Federal Government stepping in, but private citizens exercising their right to draft an initiative and see it through getting passed into law.