Some have asked what to do and how to contact the commission (link in text below)... here is CCA Washington sent out.... with talking points
Reckless Commissioners Recommend Return of Columbia Gill Nets
On Tuesday, a joint-state committee of Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife commissioners voted 4-2 to recommend a return to non-tribal gillnetting in the lower mainstem Columbia River during the spring and summer seasons and an increase in mainstem gillnetting during the fall season. This recommendation was made despite dismal spring, summer, and fall chinook forecasts which will result in reduced fishing seasons due to conservation concerns.
The recommendation to undo the 2012 bi-state Columbia River gill net reforms comes as Columbia River salmon and steelhead returns have plummeted in recent years - which has caused widespread reductions in our fisheries. The vote comes at the same time WDFW are asking the legislature for a fee increase, and the reauthorization of the Columbia River Basin Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement paid exclusively by recreational anglers.
This politically motivated recommendation will now go to each state's fish and wildlife commission, which would have to modify their policies/rules to reverse the Columbia River reforms, return gill nets to the mainstem, and further reduce recreational fishing opportunity. Oregon Commissioners/gill net apologists Bruce Buckmaster and Holly Akenson both have expiring terms this Summer, and they are pushing to restore gillnetting before leaving the Commission. In an effort to distract anglers from the extensive reductions in recreational angling that will occur, these same commissioners are proposing to make barbless hooks "voluntary."
The Washington Commission will discuss the Columbia River Policy on
March 2nd at 9 A.M. in Spokane (Ramada Inn - 8909 W Airport Drive). We expect Washington Commissioner Don McIsaac (Hockinson) to advocate for reducing recreational angling opportunity and returning gill nets to the mainstem. We ask that those able to make the meeting in Spokane testify in favor of the original policy that was promised = no more gill nets in the mainstem Columbia River. Here are
some talking points that to consider.
In the meantime, we would ask everyone to please send comments directly to the Commission at commission@dfw.wa.gov.
CCA will be sending out more details and action alerts shortly. The votes were as follows:
Favor returning gill nets to the Columbia River - McIsaac (WA), Kehoe (WA), Buckmaster (OR), Akenson (OR)
Opposed to returning gill nets to the Columbia River - Graybill (WA), Webber (OR)
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Talking Points CCA Washington....
Background
2017 and 2018, were the first years in our lifetimes with no mainstem commercial gill net fishery during the spring and summer seasons. Despite staff inaction in implementing many of the directives of the Columbia River Policy, the gill net reforms have been working. The recent recommendation by the Joint-State Committee to return gill nets to the lower mainstem Columbia is reckless and in clear contrast of WDFW's Department Goal #1: "Conserve and protect native fish and wildlife."
Spring Chinook
The Commission should continue to hold firm against mainstem spring "tangle" gill net fisheries.
• The gill net industry has benefited greatly from the increased hatchery production in the off-channel fishing areas. In fact, 2017's off-channel harvest of spring Chinook was the most valuable on record, despite it being an average run. 2018, was another large SAFE area harvest (10,981 fish!)
• The 12,000-plus spring Chinook landed in the off-channel gill net fisheries in 2017 exceeded the number of spring Chinook harvested in recreational fisheries above and below Bonneville Dam. There is no reason to allow spring "tangle" gill net fisheries to occur in the mainstem.
Summer Chinook
CCA strongly supports the Washington Commission's decision to prohibit commercial gill nets from the mainstem during the summer Chinook fishery.
• Summer Chinook have been prioritized for upriver fisheries in Eastern Washington, including the selective fishing practices of the Colville Nation.
• The recreational summer Chinook fishery is being managed as a selective fishery to help meet escapement goals for wild Chinook to the spawning grounds, which are not being met in some upriver tributaries.
• Commercial gill nets are incapable of select harvest of summer Chinook and unnecessarily catch and kill ESA-listed sockeye and steelhead as bycatch. Only 200 Snake River sockeye are forecast in 2019!
Fall Chinook
CCA remains concerned about the use of gill nets in this year's fall Chinook fisheries in zones 4 and 5. Gill net mortality rates on steelhead have been manipulated by staff to extend commercial fisheries.
• The gill net industry is claiming economic harm, but the 2017 fall Chinook gillnet fishery was cut short when it exceeded its allowable impact of ESA-listed B-run steelhead, a species caught as bycatch in this non-selective fishery. 2018's fall season closed early when run predictions fell dramatically short of actual return numbers.
• The Commission should carefully review the monitoring data from the 2017 fishery and mandate that any mortality rate changes be based on rigorous scientific studies, as was conducted with seines. Concerningly, the 2018 fall fishery was not extensively monitored.
• In 2017, information came to light about the impact that off-channel gill net fisheries are having on steelhead during the fall (potentially including B-run steelhead). CCA Oregon's discovery of dumped wild steelhead at a commercial boat launch outside of Astoria should lead to a re-analysis of the impact of these fisheries on steelhead.