Recently, WDFW, NMFS, USFWS, all signed a "Settlement Agreement" with Tacoma Power. The Agreement, among other things put a new lower ceiling on how many fish will be raised and produced at the Cowlitz Hatcheries. The "Agreement" has many fatal flaws built into it and this is a perfect example of one. The "Agreement" in its master wisdom, states that the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery will be remolded to produce a "high quality" and "healthier" Smolt. That in its self is a great ideal. The problem is that WDFW will be cutting way back on its normal production levels while this massive remolding is going on (could be years.

You would have thought that even WDFW would have had the intelligence to plan ahead and make the critical arrangements so that our hatchery production would not be effected during this critical recovery process. Apparently that is not the case. The "Agreement" also calls for three (3) additional off-site rearing facilities in the upper Cowlitz to be built for the rearing of salmon and steelhead. Wouldn't you think that WDFW would be smart enough to demand that these sites be built prior to the remolding of the Cowlitz Hatcheries? To the best of my knowledge, that has not occurred. Maybe its time that we bring private enterprise back (fish farmers) into the picture and take over the entire hatchery production of the Cowlitz. Both WDFW and NMFS have failed miserably and continue to through the blame onto each other at the cost of our Cowlitz fish!

As it stands right now, we must now depend on an elite group who accepted and signed onto Tacoma's "Agreement". They (the elite) now have total control over how this process will proceed. They call themselves the Fishery Technical Team (FTC). Only those who signed onto Tacoma's Agreement (Yakama tribes, WDFW, USFWS, NMFS, WDOE, Tacoma Power and Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, and Sport Fishing Guides of Washington) are allowed to take part or participate in this secret private process. Even those Sport Fishing Guides who signed the agreement were not allowed to participate in these secret meeting process. Sounds pretty spooky to me! The FTC will have total control over what our sport fishing future will be on the Cowlitz for the next 35 years. We have fought to see that other parties like FOC, CPR-Fish and others be allowed to participate in the FTC but to date have been unsuccessful.

To back up my concerns about the power the FTC now has, I will give you a first hand look at a portion of their secret December 12, 2000 meeting notes. This most likely will be the only chance that I will get to show you what the FTC and Tacoma really think about public participation in the FTC. This should make you quiver and your hair stand up! This is just part of the secret meetings notes before they started covering their rears.

"Finalize FTC Conventions and Protocol
Public Participation: The FTC continued the discussion of allowing public attendance and participation at FTC meetings. It was acknowledged that this issue has not been resolved by the FTC and remains an open issue. No consensus has been reached.

The FTC reviewed the requirement necessary to be a member of the FTC, which is to be a signatory to the SA. Tacoma has received a request for a non-signatory to attend the FTC meetings (a Northwest Marine Trade Association representative), and the Cowlitz Tribe has petitioned FERC to join the FTC. No FTC member was aware of any other requests for public participation. Members will check with their agencies for such requests." (Big joke and big lie!)

"Several models of public participation in FTC meetings were proposed: equal participation of all individuals in attendance; FTC members only discussion with public observation and a limited period at the end for public statements; and no public presence. Steve offered that he is not in favor of public attendance at FTC meetings because "observers may not just observe". Mark proposed that the public be excluded from the meetings, however, public involvement should be solicited by the agencies through the individual FTC members, by the opening of web mailboxes on Tacoma's and WDFW's web sites to take comments from the public, by comments from the public during the 30 day review period of FTC draft plans, and by the FTC hosting one or two public meetings (public forums) each year separate from regular FTC meetings. George offered Toppenish as a meeting location for the public forums

Date: December 12, 2000 - 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Location: NMFS office, Lacey, WA

Attendees:
FTC members: Craig Burley, WDFW
Brad Caldwell, WDOE
Steve Fransen, NMFS
Mark LaRiviere, Tacoma Power
George Lee, Yakama Nation
Bill Robinson, Trout Unlimited
Gene Stagner, USFWS"

Do you really think that the FTC will bring back the Cowlitz fishery that we love and cherish? Please give me your thoughts on how we can fix this mess. Do you think that these people have forgotten whom they work for or represents?

Cowlitzfisherman,

Is the taste of the bait worth the string of the hook????