| SAFE still in committee, needs help to get to the legislature floor |
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Strange twist of politics has SAFE coupled with bill that reduces out-of-state commercial fishing license fees
SAFE for Salmon is now in the House Rules Committee as HB-3657-3. It's still alive, but is hanging by a thread and needs your help. HB 3657 is a bill that REDUCES the out of state license fee that commercial fisherman pay. The -3 amendment adds SAFE for Salmon to this bill.
Things moved incredibly fast the past couple weeks in the Oregon Legislature. It was almost all about politics more than the good merits of our bill. It was clear that the Senate committee has been holding the bill rather than giving it a fair hearing. House leader Rep. David Hunt took the initiative and added SAFE as an amendment to a house bill 3657 in his committee. We had the committee votes to move this to a House floor vote but for totally unrelated reasons, a Republican leader "locked down" his party members in Hunt's committee. Hunt saw this going on during the hearing and quickly moved to another bill rather than having our amendment up for a losing vote.
If we can get this bill passed out of committee, we believe we have the votes to get it passed on the floor of both houses, but if it dies in committee, then the gillnetters will win yet again. Please contact these committe members TODAY! Also, please contact your state representative and senator and ask them to encourage the committee members to support SAFE. Time is of the essence. Be sure and tell the members that you support HB 3657 with -3 amendment.
House Rules Committee members
Dave Hunt (D-Clackamas County, District 40) Co-Chair: rep.davehunt@state.or.us, 503-986-1900
*Andy Olson (R-Albany, District 15) Co-Chair: rep.andyolson@state.or.us, 503-986-1415
Vicki Berger (R-Salem, District 20) Co-Vice Chair: rep.vickiberger@state.or.us 503-986-1420
Paul Holvey (D-Eugene, District 8) Co-Vice Chair: rep.paulholvey@state.or.us 503-986-1408
*Phil Barnhart (D-Central Lane and Linn Counties, District 11): rep.philbarnhart@state.or.us, 503-986-1411
*Tim Freeman (R-Roseburg, District 2): rep.timfreeman@state.or.us, 503-986-1402
Chris Garrett (D-Lake Oswego, District 38): rep.chrisgarrett@state.or.us, 503-986-1438
Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville, District 26): rep.mattwingard@state.or.us, 503-986-1426
*Swing votes. Please focus contact on these representatives.
Please also contact your represenative and senators and ask they talk directly with the Rules Committee to support SAFE.
Please also contact the representive and senator from your district and ask they talk directly with Rules Committee to urge them to pass SAFE out of committee. The members of the House Rules Committee need to hear that HB 3657-3 grows jobs and the Oregon economy. Even though the gillnetters worked hard to complicate things, the message is simple ... passage of SAFE will expand valuable sportfishing salmon seasons in the Columbia River. Every day the Columbia River is open for sport fishing, Oregon businesses prosper. New jobs will be created through new tourism opportunities and expanded fishing seasons. Commercial gillnetter's jobs will be preserved. The public will get their fish and tens of millions of dollars of economic benefit will be achieved to the benefit of dozens of Oregon industries and communities. SAFE for Salmon is truly a win-win.
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| Steelheaders to start Vancouver Chapter |
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Please join us at the chapter startup meeting on June 16
It is the passion and raw power of the extraordinary fighting fish known as the steelhead that is a symbol and inspiration to the Association of Northwest Steelheaders. The optimism and strength of this iconic fish emboldens our organization to labor passionately for the conservation and protection of the Northwest's sports fisheries and their habitats. Just as the steelhead recognizes the waters of the river they were born and runs a gauntlet of gillnets, sea lions and dams, our Association has overcome numerous challenges to emerge stronger and more vigilant in the pursuit of our mission: "Anglers dedicated to enhancing and protecting fisheries and their habitats for today and tomorrow."
While there exists numerous groups in the Pacific Northwest advocating for fish and wildlife conservation, none have the history and the broad appeal to as many outdoor constituencies as the Association of Northwest Steelheaders. Last year we celebrated our 50th year of successful work on behalf of Northwest fish and fisheries, and we hope you will join us as we begin the next 50 with a Washington-based chapter!
Chapters are the heart and soul of our organization, and they are as varied as the people that are members of them. Steelheaders chapters participate in family-friendly fishing events, organize habitat improvement projects and river cleanups, conduct kids fishing events, and/or improve public access to our local waterways. The chapter will be what you make it, and the Association will be behind you every step of the way to help ensure its success.
Meeting details
6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 16
Clark Public Utilities Electric Center Community Room, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.
Food and drink is provided. RSVP is requested.
If you are already an active member of an existing chapter, we are not advising that you leave your chapter to join the new Vancouver Chapter, but we do encourage you to participate in the startup meeting to share the knowledge of your chapter. Please pass this information on to anyone you think would be interested.
Hope to see you there!
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Federal
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission's Future of Our Salmon Conference
Several ANWS members attended this two day conference sponsored by BPA and others.
Much of the science-based presentations were extremely interesting and thought provoking. It was also a great opportunity to speak with other important policy people and leadership at federal agencies such as DEQ.
Columbia River Salmon
ANWS is a co-plaintiff to demand Washington State Dept. of Ecology allow spill to 120% total dissolved gases(TDG) as agreed by Oregon and federal biologists.
The court responded orally in favor of the Department of Ecology. Our options include an appeal to a judiciary panel, a court ordered settlement with the defendant, or abandoning the litigation. The lawyers will be providing a more detailed analysis of the risks and costs of all alternatives. Recent high water forced much higher spill rates. CRITFC and EPA scientists were surprised to see that fish were doing well until TDG levels approached 130%, theorizing the high flow rates pushed the fish out of the high TDG waters below the spill ways before it could have an effect. An EPA administrator commented that the Dept. of Ecology "should just do it" because the current process is a waste of tax payer money.
Sea Lion Predation
The Marine Mammal Protection Act is flawed in having no exit strategy for achieving species population recovery and in requiring a public process rather than scientific analysis to determine the need for a "take". Since 2005, ANWS has worked on both short term and long term solutions.
State Representative Hunt's two bills both passed in the Oregon Legislature. U.S. Representative Walden's bill will modify the MMPA to address just impacts on listed species -- not addressing the devastating impacts sea lions are having on sturgeon. It does however allow Tribal authorities to be involved in removing the most aggressive pinnipeds.
Crooked River Environmental Flows Assessment
Federal legislation reducing the Wild and scenic section of the river, allowing PGE to put a power facility at Bowman Dam also dedicates more water to irrigators and municipal use while avoiding an in stream allocation for fish. We need to insure in stream water rights before other unallocated reservoir reserves are dedicated to other uses.
ODFW's assessment of in-stream flow needed for steelhead reintroduction was to be presented in Bend but was mysteriously cancelled. We have requested public disclosure of the study. ODFW has yet to respond. Neither ANWS nor Water Watch have persuaded our federal legislators to include in stream flows requirements in the federal legislation as of yet.
State
There are many, many bills that would have impacts on our fisheries in the 2011 legislative session. ANWS monitors all such bills and weighs in when it can make a difference. The following are just the ones of higher importance.
River Rights
The Steelheaders has led the protection of the public's rights to the beds and banks of our rivers for nearly the last two decades. Senator Bates & Secretary Kate Brown are working with stakeholders toward a legislated solution in 2013.
We need to outlined a low cost version but the legal sub-committee blocked its distribution to the larger stakeholder group. The legal subcommittee leadership suggested further discussion of this concept after their full featured concept was met with a great deal of cost concerns.
Fish screening exemption HB 2873
When existing law was put into affect years ago requiring screening on water diversions to protect fish, older exiting diversions were exempted until they were significantly changed. Irrigators are now trying to get around screening with planned upgrades.
Our combined efforts have been paying off with this one, but Senate leadership is concerned of it showing up in a "gut and stuff" maneuver. We are currently monitoring that possibility.
HB 2632 from bad to good with revisions supported by ANWS
Late last week ODFW Fish Division Chief Ed Bowles reminded us that the new program for increased smolt releases and egg supplementation in South Coast streams is something we should both be taking credit for because it will probably be the big fish management achievement to come out of this session. This program came out of our early session efforts to keep alive some of the good concepts in Rep Roblan's HB 2632.
Regional
Possible Sandy River Law Suit Over Hatchery Practices
Some of the same individuals that have worked to prevent efforts to control stray rates within the Sandy River basin are now considering a lawsuit to end stocking hatchery fish for consumptive fishing in the basin.
We met with Pacific Rivers Council and ODFW to discuss their positions. ODFW is responding with administrative actions that are required but have not yet been completed and in some cases not even initiated. Still there are specific actions demanded by PRC that ODFW may not agree to. We see other actions reportedly demanded by the other plaintiff, Native Fish Society, as potentially harmful to efforts to minimize hatchery influence on wild fish. The board voted on June 4 to
potentially deal with these in the legal arena should they surface. |
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| Mark Your Calendar | |
Salmon Quest:
April 21, 2012
Hall of Fame Auction and Banquet:
Nov. 10, 2012 |
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Upcoming Events | |
June 11: Emerald Empire Chapter Big Brother - Big Sister Fish Along at Carmen Reservoir adjacent to the Mckenzie River. For more information, contact Curt or Don Currey at 541-914-3899.
June 11: Passport to Fishing free family fishing event, 9 am at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, 70543 NE Herman Loop, Cascade Locks. Click HERE for more information on free family fishing events around Oregon.
June 11: Kids Free Fishing Day at Henry Hagg Lake, 50250 SW Scoggins Valley Road in Gaston.
June 14: Newburg Chapter Senior Salmon Dinner, 5 pm at the Chehalem Senior Center, 101 West Foothills Drive in Newberg. The chapter is cooking salmon, steelhead and sturgeon members have caught for area seniors. For more information contact Kevin Hula at 503-781-9378 or kevinhula@aol.com
June 14: Free Kids Fishing Day, 9am-3pm, Small Fry Lake at PGE's Promontory Park, Highway 224 five miles east of Estacada
June 16: Vancouver Chapter startup meeting at 6:30 pm, Clark Public Utilities Electric Center Community Room, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way in Vancouver. For more information click HERE
June 24-26: Summer Steelheaders Rendezvous hosted by the Salem, Mid Valley and Eugene chapters. Registration for the group camping is now closed, but you can still register for a single site through the park. For more info, click HERE
July 8-10: Tualatin Valley Chapter Summer Camping and Fishing Trip, starting at 4 pm at Milo McIver State Park, 24101 S Entrance Rd in Estacada. For more information, click HERE
July 16: Ducky Derby, 4:30 pm at the Glen Otto Park, Troutdale. $10 for each rubber ducky in the Derby. Great prizes include $500 and $250 cash, and an Apple iPad. For more information, view the flyer HERE. To enter, please call the Association office at 503-653-4176.
July 23: McLoughlin Chapter Garage Sale at the Clackamas United Church of Christ, 15303 SE Webster Rd., Oak Grove. For more information or to provide items for the sale, contact Matt Rockweit at 503-334-7607, Rockweit5@gmail.com.
July 30: Sandy Chapter's Getting Started for Steelhead fishing clinic at Glenn Otto Park from 9-12 a.m. For more information, contact Larry Palmer at 503-286-2093, palmerlarryd@yahoo.com.
Sept. 9-12: McLoughlin Chapter Crab-A-Long at Barview Jetty County Park Barview. Enjoy crabbing fun in and around the Garibaldi area culminating in a group dinner Saturday night along with the trophy for biggest crab caught that day. All Steelheaders, family and friends are welcome. For more information, click HERE. |
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Volunteer | |
One of the main strengths of the Northwest Steelheaders is the many dedicated volunteers that make the organization successful. There are many ways to get involved at the chapter and Association level. Here are some ways to get involved:
Help grow the membership and win SAVE OUR FISHING campaigns at the Association's Milwaukie office. Contact Russell Bassett at 503-653-4176, executivedirector@anws.org.
Volunteers are needed to help with Ducky Derby in Troutdale on July 16. For more information, contact Art Israelson at 503-666-2599 or artisraelson@comcast.net
Help run the Salmon Quest fishing tournament on April 21, 2012. Contact Norm Ritchie at 503-807-7729, normritchie@q.com.
Help your local chapter organize river clean-ups, habitat restoration projects, kids fishing days, environmental education activities, fundraisers and other events. See contact info below. |
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Upcoming Meetings | |
Association ExCom
6:30 pm July 7 at the Association Office, 6641 SE Lake Rd. in McLoughlin
For more information, contact President Jay Burris at 360-798-9000, gun_dog@msn.com
Deschutes Basin
7 pm July 12 at the Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Ave., in Bend
Facebook Page
Contact President Yancy Lind at 541-788-5514, yancy_lind@ml.com
Emerald Empire
7 pm July 6 at Eagles on the Green, 1375 Irving Rd., in Eugene
June newsletter
Website
Contact President Bill Robbins at 541-689-5075, suznbill@comcast.net
McLoughlin
7 pm June 14 at Round Table Pizza, 16550 SE McLaughlin Blvd, Milwaukie
June newsletter
Contact President Carol Clark at 503-632-6974, nyara@heritagenw.com
Mid-Valley
7 pm July 6 at the Senior Citizens Center, 489 Water Ave. NW, Albany
June newsletter
Contact President Bill Nyara at 541-401-9559, nyara@heritagenw.com
Newberg
7 pm July 14 at the Chehalem Senior Center, 101 Foothills Drive, in Newberg
Contact President Kevin Hula at 503-781-9378, kevinhula@aol.com
North Coast
7 pm July 14 at the ODFW Tillamook Office, 4907 3rd St., Tillamook
Contact President Bill Hedlund at 503-815-2737, billh@ifish.net
Salem
7 pm June 21 at the City of Keizer Community Center (at City Hall), 930 Chemawa Rd, in Keizer.
Website
Facebook Page
Contact President Dana Roberts at 503-364-7923, danacrob@hotmail.com
Sandy River
7 pm July 6 at Glenn Otto Park, 1208 Historic Columbia River Hwy., in Troutdale
June newsletter
Website
Contact President Jeff Stoeger at 503-282-4830, mjstoeger@msn.com
Tom McCall
11:30 am June 15 at the Old Spaghetti Factory, 0715 SW Bancroft St., in Portland
Contact President Dave Reggiani at 503-653-1501, dsreggiani@comcast.net
Tualatin Valley
Website
Contact President Mark Hutchinson at 503-649-1028, hutchisfishin@gmail.com |
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