Save Cowlitz River Steelhead

The Washington State & Wildlife commission on friday july 10th 2009 will hold a meeting at 1:30pm to decide on public policy reguarding HATCHERY REFORM. It will affect COWLITZ RIVER STEELHEAD as it will further empower those behind the The Cowlitz river managment plan to DO AWAY WITH HATCHERY STEELHEAD on The Cowlitz river.


PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING IN OLYMPIA AT

Natural resourses building
1111 Washington St. SE
Olympia washington 98501

Show up by 8:00 AM and be ready to speak at the scheduled public input time of 8:30 AM. We dont belive the meeting at 1:30 will be open for publis input. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!

This public policy and the cowlitz river fish managment plan will significantly impact the future of the Cowlitz river summer and winter steelhead by severly restricting the number of fish raised and released. The word is summer run Steelhead will be dicontiued in less than 6 Years!

The Steelhead program has been an important part of the local communities of Centraila,Chehalis, Toledo, Salkum,Castle Rock and longveiw for generations. Its is also a signifgant contributer to Washigtons economy as people travel from all over the state and nation to fish the Cowlitz river for these fabulous sport fish.

The Hatchery Reform Policy and the cowlitz river fish managment plan must be changed so it recognizes the Cowlitz River and similar rivers which have dams that eliminate accses to critical spawning habitat and play a major role in Washintons economy are set aside for hatchery production.

WE ask that all of you get involved in this issue, write a letter or send an email to the commissioners to EXPRESS your desire to have the Cowlitz River Hatchery Steelhead preserved and improved.

Please make the following points:
the department under the prvious leadership has not listened to our concerns reguarding the Cowlitz river. We would appreciate a new look at our concern

The cowlitz river should remain a hatchery production river system because of the dams limiting access to spawning habitat. Hatchery production is part of a NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT with TACOMA POWER FOR DESTROYING THE RIVER. Economies depend on these agreements!

Cowlitz river summer and winter steelhead fishing generates millions of dollars for small local communities and the state of washington. This area depends on these hatchery programs and the state benefits significantly.

Hatchery reform should focus on the rivers that have the capacity and habitat to support wild fish runs.
Bonneville power has credible studies that wild fish passage by the the Cowlitz river dams is a losing battle. " it wont work"

The Cowlitz River can play a "KEY" role in restoring wild fish runs by creating less pressure on other rivers where we are attemting to restore wild runs. People need a place to fish and our economy needs the revenue it generates.

Idaho has demondstrated it can plant millions of hatchey reared steelhead in the clearwater and Salmon rivers and still maintain healthy wild populations. Why can Idaho have strong hatchery returns and millions of dollars in economic benefits and we cannot?

The new director should review the history of our Cowlitz River Fisheries and the philosophical managment approach the department has taken on the Cowlitz river for the last 15 years. We hope a new vision and direction can be achieved that benefits all interests and restore the economic benefits of the Cowlitz.


PLEASE CONTACT THE COMMISSION

There are several new commissioners that need to hear about the Cowlitz River.


Contact info

Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol way north
Olympia,Wa 98501-1091
Phone: 360-902-2267
Fax: 360-902-2448
Email commission@dfw.wa.gov

Find the Hatchery Reform policy and other related documents@: www.wdfw.wa.gov/commission/


Please attend or write guys this is just one river with many more to come

Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet July 10-11 at 8:30 a.m. in room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., in Olympia. The Commission establishes policies and regulations designed to preserve and protect our state's fish and wildlife, as well as our natural habitat. The Commission is also charged with monitoring the performance of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) as it implements the goals, policies and objectives established by the Commission. The public is invited to attend and provide testimony on issues of concern.

The Commission is set to take action July 10 on a new policy aimed at advancing conservation and recovery of wild salmon and steelhead populations.  The proposed policy calls for coordinated reform of the state's approach to harvest management and its hatchery operations based on the recommendations of the Hatchery Scientific Review Group. A public hearing on the draft policy was held in June.

On July 11, the Commission will review progress to date in the nationwide search for a permanent WDFW director. Public advice or comments on the candidate search will be welcomed following that discussion.

The Commission is scheduled to consider adoption of proposals to:

• Reauthorize through 2010 a pilot program that allows cougar hunting with the aid of dogs in counties that meet specified criteria.
• Allow recreational license dealers to charge 50 cents to process documentation and collect additional data associated with migratory bird hunting. 

WDFW staff will provide briefings for the Commission on several other issues, including special trapping permits; deer and elk damage claims; and regulations governing commercial crab-fishing on the Washington coast.

Three new commission members, recently appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to fill vacant positions, will join the nine-member panel at the July meeting.  The three new members, all appointed to terms ending Dec. 31, 2014, are:

• David Jennings, of Olympia, who works at the Washington State Department of Health in the division of environmental health.  Jennings is the past president of the Gifford Pinchot Task Force and the Black Hills Audubon Society.
• Rollie Schmitten, of Leavenworth, who works as a marine resources consultant.  Schmitten previously served as director of the Washington State Department of Fisheries, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service and as deputy assistant secretary of international affairs for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Brad Smith, Ph.D, of Bellingham, who serves as Dean of the Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University.  He previously served as director of the Office of Environmental Education at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and was a research fellow for Environment Canada and the Canadian Fish and Wildlife Service. 

On July 11, ethics training and orientation sessions regarding the laws and rules governing Commission operations will be provided to Commissioners. The public is welcome to attend these presentations.

The agenda for the two-day meeting, along with additional information about these issues, is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html .

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

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Columbia river sturgeon report

Lower Columbia from the mouth to Wauna powerlines –

Catches improved with charter boat anglers averaging a legal kept per slightly better than every other rod while private boaters averaged one per every  3.5 rods.  Bank anglers were also catching some legals. 

 

• Based on the 2006-2009 Joint State agreement and catch during 2006 through 2008, a total of 15,529 fish are available for 2009 fisheries below Wauna.
• Seven-day/week retention fisheries were adopted for January 1-April 30 and May 9-June 28, and daily for July 2-5, 2009 based on this available harvest.
• Harvest estimates include 1,125 white sturgeon kept during January through May which is about 67% of the cumulative catches through May in both 2007 and 2008.
• Catch rates in June started out slow, but improved as the season progressed, averaging 288 fish per day through mid-June, compared to 210 fish per day in early-June 2008 and over 340 fish per day in early June 2007.
• A majority of the catch has been landed on the Oregon side where effort and catch rates have been higher.  Sampled catch in the non-charter fishery during June averaged 0.9 fish per boat on the Oregon side and 0.5 fish per boat on the Washington side.
• Catch during June 1-14 is about 4,000 fish, bringing the year-to-date total to about 5,125 fish, leaving a balance of about 10,400 fish for the remainder of 2009.
• Catch rates can improve quickly in June, making it difficult to make accurate catch projections for the remainder of the scheduled season.  Catch in this fishery during late June and early July averaged 644 fish per day in 2007 and 504 fish per day in 2008.
• The projected balance provides for an average catch of about 575 fish per day for the 18 days remaining in the scheduled season.
• Staff will continue to monitor the fishery and will provide another update this week