We really need to flood this Wednesday's meeting at the Seattle Aquarium from 7:00 to 9:00 in support of killing this west San Juan Island ½ mile wide closure. This could be the start of many more closures. You know that they are only going to try and close the good salmon fishing areas. Your favorite area is probably next. This is step one. Once they get their foot in the door, they have easier access to more and more closures. (See what is happening in California) Could you imagine if they closed Possession Bar, Point No Point, Hat Island, and or Elger Bay, or all of the above? Don't think it’s not possible! It is! This is NOAA trying to close this and not WDFW. I am working with several others to try and put together a game plan. This closure has absolutely no science basis. It will close the West Side of San Juan Island to sportfishing, whalewatching, and kayakers, while tribal commercial fishing will remain. This meeting might be heavily attended by the proliberals that would back this closure and a good possiblilty that the news media might be there. Make sure and write a letter and sign it. If you want to speak, please sign in for comments. I am guessing there will be a 2-3 minute period for general public comments. If you do not want to read your letter, make sure and hand it in.

NOAA is saying we (Sportsfishers) are disturbing the orcas in this area and they are not eating like they should and part of the reason for their decline. This is preposterous. How many times have you been out there and had an orca come up to your boat while you were fishing, chasing a salmon or even chasing your salmon? I think this is selling orcas short. If they want to eat, nothing will stop them. I have had them around me many times over the years hunting. The salmon bite sure goes off quick doesn't it? I think it is hard to believe that an orca would choose starvation over eating something other than a Chinook salmon like the info they provide says. A species that is smart enough to draw baby seals from the beach by acting playful, then eating them, is surely smart enough to eat lingcod, rockfish, or even seals when Chinook Salmon are not present. The Southern Resident Killer Whale population is supposed to be entirely fed by Chinook Salmon. By our boats being there, they are saying that we are bothering them to the extent that they are not feeding, contributing to their decline.
Meanwhile we have PCBs and other pollutants causing them to be some of the most polluted whales in the world, not to mention cargo ships blasting through Haro Strait at 30 MPH. You better not get in their way. We dearly value our orcas as they provide part of the culture and livelihood of living where we do. To say we are doing damage to these magnificent creatures is outrageous. This is not science based and seems more personal agenda driven.

Please be at the meeting at the Seattle Aquarium at 7:00 September 30 and wear your PSA and/or CCA or other sportfishing attire attire to show them we care.
Thanks
Ron Garner
PSA Sno-King President
PSA State Board VP