Focus on Fee Increase as a Club Hits Your Head

[Bay wolf]

We have got a number of MAJOR issues concerning our fisheries at the moment. One is the proposed license fee increase. It's important, but while our attention is focused on the fee increase, another 3 point assault on our rights as sportsmen and women is going full force, and is currently flying under the wire for most.

I'm speaking on the issues of removing the Commission as an extension of the people, and prohibiting the public from having any influential voice in the management (or..Mis-Mangement) of our fisheries.

If the people of this State don't WAKE UP NOW and band together to fight this assault, our sport, our fish will be a thing of the past!

Just take a look at what's going on as we are focused on a proposed license fee increase;

There are currently two bills being acted on that not only eliminates any public oversight, but takes all authority away from the Commission and gives ultimate power to the Director of WDFW and the Governor!

SB 5718 Makes MAJOR changes in the role of the Commission and includes language dictating that our resources will be managed to give both commercial and recreational fisheries equitable consideration.
It reduces the Commission to a subordinate advisory role to the Directors office, it effectively removes any legal challenge for public oversight under the OPMA and makes the Commission a patsy to the Governor! AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillN ... &Year=2017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HB1097, at my last reading pertained to Hunting but a simple amendment can cover fisheries. It contains a specific line stating that the NOF process is “Not covered under the OPMA!” Again, this is a very blatant removal of the citizens of the state to have any public oversight in the management of OUR resources.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillN ... entSection" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SO WHAT, RIGHT?

Well the SO WHAT is that; When the public (and Commission) no longer have any ability (legal or otherwise) to influence the management of our resources, it leaves the door wide open for lobbyist (commercials) and sovereign nations to totally run our WDFW through money and politics! That's a pretty good SO WHAT!

So, there are basically two camps in our sport fishing community right now.

One says, "They" have all the power and nothing will change".

The other camp is saying, "I'm mad as H3LL, but we can't really do anything about it"

That's exactly what the State, the lobbyist and the Sovereign Nations want us to think..It makes us give up before we even try to fix things.
And of course, the end result is, things don't change and "they" do gain more and more power!

WE HAVE GOT TO STOP. STOP COMPLAINING AND DO SOMETHING. STOP GIVING UP BEFORE WE LOSE WHAT LITTLE WE STILL HAVE. STOP WAITING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO WORK ON.

Write, call, organize, protest, and do whatever you can...there is no more time.

If you ARE involved, let us all know, so we can band our efforts together and join forces for a strong, unified front.

[hewesbob]

I totally agree with you. I wrote several emails earlier today to everybody involved.

[kodacachers]

Here's another tidbit in the bill to SB 5718:
Additionally, the department must consider the public's interest in having food fish available for purchase by consumers.
This is after the "equitable" balance between sport and commercial

[Larry3215]

Here's another tidbit in the bill to SB 5718:
Additionally, the department must consider the public's interest in having food fish available for purchase by consumers.
This is after the "equitable" balance between sport and commercial

In other words - the commercial side has priority. A sneaky, dishonest, lying way to insure continued profits and political contributions while killing the golden goose and the fish. No different than the 'right to work' and other similar dishonest political bs.

[Larry3215]

We all need to be paying attention, making calls, sending emails and attending meetings. Like both of these.

NEWS RELEASE
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

February 7, 2017
Contact: Commission Office, (360) 902-2267

Commission to discuss Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay salmon fisheries

OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will hear public comments on the management of Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay salmon fisheries over the past year during a public meeting Feb. 10-11 in Olympia.

The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building at 1111 Washington St. SE in Olympia. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. both days.

An agenda for the meeting is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At the meeting, state fishery managers will provide an overview of last year's Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay salmon fisheries, including an assessment of the harvest and conformance with conservation objectives. They will also provide a look ahead to fisheries planning in those areas in 2017 and the public will be invited to comment on the salmon management policies now in effect.

Also on the agenda is an overview of the science of managing the state's wolf population, which has grown rapidly since 2008. While state policies support wolf recovery, they also include guidelines for using lethal measures against wolves to reduce conflicts with people, livestock and other wildlife. WDFW wildlife managers will discuss scientific studies that evaluate lethal removal techniques and protocols.

In other business, the commission will consider a land transfer in Chelan County. The property consists of 14 acres along the Wenatchee River and would be donated to WDFW by a non-profit organization. Acquiring this property would improve public access to the river for anglers, bird watchers, hikers and other recreationalists.

and

SUPER URGENT

THIS COMING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9 AT 1:30 P.M. WE NEED MANY PUGET SOUND ANGLER MEMBERS TO SHOW UP AT AN INITIAL HEARING BEING CONDUCTED BY THE STATE OF WASHINGTON HOUSE AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE THAT WILL BE HELD IN HOUSE HEARING ROOM B – JOHN L O’BRIEN BUILDING, STATE CAPITAL. WE ARE FIGHTING HARD ON YOUR BEHALF AND YOUR PRESENCE IS URGENTLY NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR STATE BOARD PRESIDENT RON GARNER AND HIS WING MAN FRANK URABECK AS THEY PRESENT OUR ORGANIZATION’S VIEWS ON HB 1647 – SPORT FISHING AND HUNTING LICENSE FEE INCREASE LEGISLATION. THIS LEGISLATION MAY VERY WELL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE FUTURE OF FISHING AND HUNTING IN OUR STATE. RON AND FRANK, AFTER TALKING TO PSA MEMBERS, OTHER GROUPS AND DELVING INTO THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR WDFW HAVE TENTATIVELY CONCLUDED THAT:
WDFW must be adequately funded to meet conservation requirements and provide fishing and hunting opportunities important to State of Washington economy and way of life.
Sport fishing and hunting license fees may need to be increased but fairly and judiciously.
At this juncture we cannot accept HB 1647 as written.
We can say we are willing to work with other user groups, the department, and the legislature to produce a substitute license fee increase bill that is fair and has reasonable chance of gaining public acceptance if there is reason to believe that our key issues will be addressed, concrete improvements gained in sport fishing opportunities, and better balance is likely in the tribal/non-tribal sharing of harvestable salmon during the 2017 North of Falcon salmon season setting process.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AND OR WANT YOUR THOUGHTS CONSIDERED, PLEASE EMAIL FRANK AT URABECK@COMCAST.NET. HE CAN ALSO BE REACHED BY CELL PHONE: 253-208-7323. Thanks very much for your consideration and support. Please sign in as a PSA member. Do not indicate support for HB 1647.

Ron Garner
PSA State Board President

We all need to join and support groups like PSA and CCA. The politicians are beholden to the money, but they fear our votes and our voices if we stick together.

[Toni]

Tribes say they have already started the North of Falcon. In January.

http://nwtreatytribes.org/frank-north-f ... y-earlier/

[TrackerPro16]

Another part of this may be the selling off of public property, that is protected now, to the highest bidder. Or should I say contributor? It would not suprise me in the least.

[Toni]

Everyone who fishes/hunts should listen to this It is long but it is an education! HB 1647.
Starts about one quarter to halfway.
http://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2017021157

[Bay wolf]

This just posted on Tidal Exchange.

https://tidalexchange.com/2017/02/11/op ... ne-loomis/

Very good points on transparency and open honest conversations about accountability and harvest!

[Larry3215]

Its a start. As I posted on that page in the comments - we all need to work together now more than ever. If we dont, Trumps appointees will give the fish to the highest bidder. The new order has zero concern for the salmon or the habitat. Its all about the money.

To be fair, its always been about the money to some degree but now its a no holds barred all out war.