Tag Archives: Columbia River fishery reform
Editorial: Fishermen should look for smart ways to survive
As spring Chinook salmon congregate in the ocean around the mouth of the Columbia River in anticipation of their ancient migration to upriver spawning grounds, this spring also sees a swirling conglomeration of politics in Oregon and Washington state over how to allocate salmon among different interests. In some ways nothing new, in other respects the fight over salmon is rising to a higher pitch. Increasingly involving elected leaders, the outcome is becoming even less predictable. Also unclear is where a majority of Oregon and Washington state voters stand on the issue. The key point of recent news in the matter is the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission’s unanimous vote to curtail gillnet fish harvests, altering an earlier decision that was more favorable to commercial fishermen. Bullied into the decision by Gov. Kate Brown, the commission backed away from its earlier acknowledgment that the states have so far failed to keep a promise made by the Oregon Legislature to ensure the continuing economic viability of the commercial fleet. Alternative fishing methods have proven ineffective, alternative fishing grounds are in short supply, and money has been slow to arrive to aid transition away from the decades long gillnetting tradition. continue reading the op-ed here 16:20
Washington Rep. Liz Pike Slams Oregon Gov. Kate Brown – Oregon’s decision compromises salmon and integrity
I applaud our own Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for its 7-2 vote on Jan. 14 to reach a compromise that has our state moving in the right direction for conservation of endangered salmon and steelhead. This recent decision removes all commercial gill nets from the lower Columbia River during the spring and summer runs and allows commercial nets in the fall in selected areas — but only through 2019 with the commitment to remove all gill nets completely after that time. This two-year extension of fall gill netting is a compromise to the original plan in favor of the gillnetters, to allow more time to develop selective commercial fishing methods and help the commercial fishery achieve financial goals. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced to the entire Pacific Northwest that her environmental conscience is for sale to the highest bidder when she recently appointed former gill net industry lobbyist Bruce Buckmaster to Oregon’s commission. His deciding vote is a slap in the face to tens of thousands of recreational anglers in Oregon and Washington who agreed to pay a new salmon endorsement tax each season over the past three years in order to fund the promised Columbia River reforms agreed to in 2012. Read the op-ed here 12:21
