Just got this from NSIA:





In This Issue
All Hands On Deck - SB 5617
Urgent Action Alert! We Need You to Contact WA Legislators TODAY to Protect Sportfishing Businesses!!!

Time is almost out to protect (your)
sportfishing businesses!
This Thursday, February 21, at 1:30 Senate Bill 5617, banning the use of non-treaty gillnets in Washington state, will have an Executive work session in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks. At this hearing the Committee will decide whether to amend SB 5617 and/or pass it out of Committee. If the Committee does not vote the bill out, it dies. We can't let this happen!

As you would guess, the gillnetters and their allies have been pounding the Committee with calls, emails and piles of misinformation.

SO PLEASE FORWARD THIS ALERT TO ALL YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS!

It is vital that you contact the following Committee members RIGHT NOW and ask them to vote SB 5617 out of Committee. Call or email each one! Sen. Van De Wege, Chair (D), (360)786-7646; Sen. Salomon, Vice Chair, (D) (360)786 -7662 ; Sen. Warnick (R) (360)786-7624, Sen. Honeyford (R) (360)786-7684 ; Sen. Rolfes (D) (360)786-7644 ; Sen. Short (R) (360)786-7612
Tell them:
SB 5617 is important to the jobs in the business you own/work for and for thousands of jobs in both Washington and Oregon.
Every other state in the lower 48 has banned non-tribal gillnetting for conservation and economic reasons. We can do better!
Salmon returns are at all time lows, Orca are dying, and our businesses are struggling. We can no longer justify or afford to continue commercial non-treaty gillnetting.
Do this now. By Thursday at 1:30 it will be too late and the only person you will have to blame will be in the mirror. More than half of the Senate co-sponsored SB 5617, support them by making the calls and emails today. As always, stay polite and respectful and focused on your industry. SB 5617 is not about treaty rights and is not at all relevant in your discussions with Legislators.


Sincerely,


Heather Reese, NSIA Communications

Maybe they need to ammend continued hatchery production even though nets are out? And No tribal nets below Bonneville dam.