Free: Contests & Raffles.
Today, 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.The recommendation to undo the 2012 bi-state Columbia River gillnet reforms comes as Columbia River salmon and steelhead returns have plummeted in recent years – leading to recreational fishing closures throughout the Columbia River basin. The vote also comes at the same time WDFW and ODFW are asking their respective legislatures to reauthorize the Columbia River Basin Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement paid for by recreational anglers. WDFW is also seeking a recreational license fee increase.The 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 gillnets to the mainstem, and reduce recreational fishing opportunity. The Washington Commission will be meeting in Spokane on March 1-2 where we expect Washington Commissioner Don McIsaac (Hockinson) to push for their adoption – hundreds of miles away from most of the fisheries affected by the decision. The recommendation would also make barbless hooks “voluntary” in Columbia River recreational fisheries – a clear effort to distract anglers from the vote to undo the bi-state fishery reforms and harm our fisheries.With the 2019 spring chinook run projected to be below 50% of the ten-year average, and summer chinook forecasted to barely meet escapment, a non-tribal gill net fishery on the lower mainstem Columbia River would be extraordinarily reckless. The fall chinook forecast is equally poor, and with record low returns of wild steelhead over the past two years, mainstem gillnetting could further erode many struggling ESA-listed stocks. CCA will be sending out more details and action alerts shortly, so stay turned for more updates. The votes were as follows:Yes – McIsaac (WA), Kehoe (WA), Buckmaster (OR), Akenson (OR)No – Graybill (WA), Webber (OR)
In my opinion, if their nets should be pulled out, then all nets need to be pulled out.
Amazing that this is the only river in the World that is still commercially netted.
Quote from: NorseNW on February 26, 2019, 08:22:52 PMAmazing that this is the only river in the World that is still commercially netted.Wrong...... Chehalis River still commercially netted, Willapa River, still commercially netted, Yukon River, still commercially netted, Deep River, still commercially netted, Fraser River, still commercially netted, Youngs Bay still commercially netted. Naknek River still commercially netted. Copper River, still commercially netted. Kuskokwim River, still commercially netted.
That's some crazy talk right there. Would the non-Tribal gillnetting season coincide with the Tribal gillnetting season? Once quotas are reached then all nets come out? Personally, I would rather see an escapement quota reached for each run and then allow gillnetting.
Quote from: Badhabit on February 27, 2019, 09:06:01 AMThat's some crazy talk right there. Would the non-Tribal gillnetting season coincide with the Tribal gillnetting season? Once quotas are reached then all nets come out? Personally, I would rather see an escapement quota reached for each run and then allow gillnetting.Agreed. And one thing I will say, Washington sets their escapement quotas way too low. Possibly because there are so many users squabbling over the crumbs. The other pink elephant in the room is hatchery fish. It's hard to get good numbers on wild fish when they are mixed in with hatchery fish in the main stem of river systems. until they get to their brood streams. By then it's too late to give more or less opportunity. Alaska has used sonar for counting escapement for many years but that won't work with hatchery fish in the mix.
Never a better time to join CCA, there fighting for us recreational fisherman!
Quote from: SkookumHntr on February 27, 2019, 10:47:05 AMNever a better time to join CCA, there fighting for us recreational fisherman!Used to be a CCA member. Quit giving them money a couple years ago. From what I can tell, they haven't done crap for OR or WA. Maybe I'm wrong, but not seeing results. I've decided not to purchase my license at ALL this yr. Time to let the $ do the talking.
....and here it is. http://nwsportsmanmag.com/wdfw-fish-commission-adopts-columbia-subpanel-reform-recommendation/
I suspect the people who fund this agency will be in revolt until this shameful vote is overturned.”
Funny that they would allow barbed hooks again.Barbless hooks were supposed to decrease fish mortality.Not sure how it is on the Columbia but seasons are closed early due to fish encounters,not actual numbers of fish caught.Seems to me they will change the formula used to determine fish mortality due to the perceived notion that there is higher fish mortality when barbed hooks are used.
Salmon management is a train wreck. WDFW management has had years to implement these changes, all with funding agreed to by the rec community. They enabled an obsolete industry and, now that they did nothing, implementing the policy will be painful. Rather than make everyone take their medicine, which they've known has been prescribed for years, we trash thousands of hours of work and hundreds of thousands of dollars in dollars spent. Why? Because WDFW fisheries management is run by dip*censored*s with no spine. But hey, at least this all coincided with a year the hobby netters can have nice mop up coho fishery. Too bad for the endangered B run steelhead, chinook, etc. that will be slaughtered in the process.
