End commercial gillnetting on the Columbia River. Need your help

[WSU]

What is the overall difficulty in transitioning those gillnetters to something like purse seining?  The purse seiners tend to give fish a better chance of survival upon releasing than the gillnets, better for selective harvesting.  I'm not against the commercial take of their portion of the quota, just the method they are using--from what I've seen provides a dead/dying harvest vs a live harvest.  They used to use fish traps all over the state, but those were banned by the voters around 1935..from what I've read mostly due to how much they deplete the runs.

That law was passed by the gillnetters.  It is no coincidence that all other forms of commercial harvest disappeared. 

And, I believe the other methods are more costly.  A gillnetter is usually a single guy on a relatively small boat.  Things like seines require multiple people and a bigger boat.  Plus, gillnetters would have to go out and purchase new gear which I am sure is somewhat costly.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

So how are native nets going to net more fish if the commercial nets are not in the water.

The natives get 50% of the run no matter. So if the forecast is for 100 fish they get 50. I must be stupid but 50% of 100 is 50 right. And you are saying that if the commercials don't get there share the natives are going to get more than there 50 %.

[scout/sniper]

The number one factor that would bring back wild salmon runs on the Columbia and it's upper tributaries is get rid of the dams. Talk about indiscriminate killers. But I doubt I'll see that in my lifetime

Columbia R dam removal is never going to happen.  The easiest way to help wild salmon runs immediately would be to 1) eliminate commercial gill nets and 2) eliminate at least half of the sealion poplulation.

     After reading all of this arguing and fighting between groups who have an agenda and a financial stake in whatever outcome happens, this post says it all....short and sweet.

[PlateauNDN]

I say get rid of all the sea lions lethal or non that are near the mouth of the Columbia and all the way down.  generate some funds by starting a season and issuing some tags.  Make some money off the hunters by making them pay for removal.

[WSU]

I say get rid of all the sea lions lethal or non that are near the mouth of the Columbia and all the way down.  generate some funds by starting a season and issuing some tags.  Make some money off the hunters by making them pay for removal.

Did the tribes historically hunt seals and sea lions? I know they used go up to Celilo...

[Sitka_Blacktail]

And there it is.  People on the dole usually want to stay on the dole.  What do you do for your fulltime job?

What dole?

My full time job is gillnetting. I don't make money any way else. I used to participate in other fisheries in the offseason, but don't any more. I used to take temporary onshore jobs in the offseason too but haven't for many years.

I collect no money from the government, but I do pay taxes. Lots of taxes.

So what's your full time job?

You're probably a nice guy, but if you believe ending non tribal gillnetting will do one thing to increase salmon runs in Washington, you're sadly mistaken.

[kentrek]

I say get rid of all the sea lions lethal or non that are near the mouth of the Columbia and all the way down.  generate some funds by starting a season and issuing some tags.  Make some money off the hunters by making them pay for removal.

Did the tribes historically hunt seals and sea lions? I know they used go up to Celilo...

my dad said there was a guy whose job was to kill seals when ev he saw them on the colombia..he said he nev used to see too many seals in the 60's

[WSU]

And there it is.  People on the dole usually want to stay on the dole.  What do you do for your fulltime job?

What dole?

My full time job is gillnetting. I don't make money any way else. I used to participate in other fisheries in the offseason, but don't any more. I used to take temporary onshore jobs in the offseason too but haven't for many years.

I collect no money from the government, but I do pay taxes. Lots of taxes.

So what's your full time job?

You're probably a nice guy, but if you believe ending non tribal gillnetting will do one thing to increase salmon runs in Washington, you're sadly mistaken.

So you work how much?  Do you spend your summers in Alaska and net down here a handful of days?

I'm sure you are a nice guy too.  We just have a healthy difference of opinion!

[pianoman9701]

I say get rid of all the sea lions lethal or non that are near the mouth of the Columbia and all the way down.  generate some funds by starting a season and issuing some tags.  Make some money off the hunters by making them pay for removal.

Never going to happen with the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Even if we could defy federal USFWS enforcement, the greenies would lose their minds and the DFW would fold to their pressure. Killing sea lions will always be another wolf issue - "they're so cute and how could anyone kill one? I don't have to live near or deal with them, but if I did, I'm sure I'd feel the same way."

[PlateauNDN]

I say get rid of all the sea lions lethal or non that are near the mouth of the Columbia and all the way down.  generate some funds by starting a season and issuing some tags.  Make some money off the hunters by making them pay for removal.

Never going to happen with the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Even if we could defy federal USFWS enforcement, the greenies would lose their minds and the DFW would fold to their pressure. Killing sea lions will always be another wolf issue - "they're so cute and how could anyone kill one? I don't have to live near or deal with them, but if I did, I'm sure I'd feel the same way."

I know and it's just like wolves.  As soon as they are FEDERALLY DELISTED they are open game and you better believe I'm going to get as many as I can.  I like wolves in the aspects of the tribal signifance and roles they play in our culture but if I have to choose between them and deer/elk or any other species we harvest for food then guess who's going to get the hammer?  I don't like sea lions and if/when they become unprotected you better believe they are going to suffer hard to alot of tribal hunters because they are not welcomed and hearing it myself from some of the fishermen down there they'd like nothing more then to handle it themselves if it wasn't for fear of jail and losing their families and livelihood.

[pianoman9701]

I say get rid of all the sea lions lethal or non that are near the mouth of the Columbia and all the way down.  generate some funds by starting a season and issuing some tags.  Make some money off the hunters by making them pay for removal.

Never going to happen with the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Even if we could defy federal USFWS enforcement, the greenies would lose their minds and the DFW would fold to their pressure. Killing sea lions will always be another wolf issue - "they're so cute and how could anyone kill one? I don't have to live near or deal with them, but if I did, I'm sure I'd feel the same way."

I know and it's just like wolves.  As soon as they are FEDERALLY DELISTED they are open game and you better believe I'm going to get as many as I can.  I like wolves in the aspects of the tribal signifance and roles they play in our culture but if I have to choose between them and deer/elk or any other species we harvest for food then guess who's going to get the hammer?  I don't like sea lions and if/when they become unprotected you better believe they are going to suffer hard to alot of tribal hunters because they are not welcomed and hearing it myself from some of the fishermen down there they'd like nothing more then to handle it themselves if it wasn't for fear of jail and losing their families and livelihood.

You see Plat, that's the beauty of the Marine Mammal Protection Act - the animals on it stay on it regardless of population health or density. There is no delisting process for the act. It has to do with Namu and Flipper and seals with balls on their noses. It has nothing to do with conservation. It's about emotions and feelings. It's about peace between us and the animal world. I want to go out and kiss something furry now. I'll be back later.

[scout/sniper]

I want to go out and kiss something furry now. I'll be back later.

I'm on my way over 

[pianoman9701]

I want to go out and kiss something furry now. I'll be back later.

I'm on my way over 

Oooh, bring your long gun, Scout!

[Sitka_Blacktail]

To sum up my position, why is so much effort spent on fighting over the crumbs from the pie instead of working together to bake more pie?

Because the guys who bake cake like it that way. And as long as we fight for crumbs, they get their cake and eat it too.

[Special T]

I think this conversation is sad and JUST like the wolf topic, and here is why... Once upon a time predators of all kinds were decimated. Their prey number grew dramatically in their absence... Since those predators were protected, I think a good thing, they have rebounded to the point where they are no longer in any danger. They are impacting their prey numbers in a negative way and yet they are still protected... I hope that there is a correction of the books so that sealions, wolves, cormorants, mergansers, cougars and many others can be managed through hunting to MAXIMISE the benefit to all.
I think as hunters and anglers we need to pus for the repeal of the ESA and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They were tools that were necessary at their inception, but like many things Federal have long outgrown their usefullness.