A CCA Flyer.



If you have been following the twists and turns of this year's state-tribal "North of Falcon" Puget Sound salmon fishery negotiations, you know we are in unchartered territory. For the first time in decades, WDFW and the Puget Sound treaty tribes failed to reach an agreement on fishing seasons. Without federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) approval of a joint state-tribal fishery agreement - or separate approval of a stand-alone state plan - there will be a complete closure of all Puget Sound sport fisheries.

We can't let that happen. Please urge your elected representatives and federal agency officials at NOAA Fisheries to take action!

NOAA Fisheries must take immediate action to prevent the complete closure of a $100-plus million Puget Sound sport fishery. It is also time to fix the broken "North of Falcon" season-setting process by restoring transparency, fairness, and common sense to these negotiations - fundamental hallmarks of cooperative management (aka "co-management").

We commend WDFW Director Jim Unsworth and his staff for negotiating in good faith, with conservation as their first priority. Despite the serious challenges posed by reduced Coho and Chinook abundance, WDFW fashioned a plan that fell within conservation guidelines, met ESA requirements, and provided meaningful recreational fishing opportunity. WDFW has been consistent in seeking a balanced, fair agreement. Unfortunately this has been met by uncompromising negotiating tactics from a small handful of tribes - something that has become common in recent North of Falcon negotiations.

The state and tribes are scheduled to meet again this week. We hope an agreement can be reached on a responsible and equitable fishery agreement. If not, NOAA Fisheries should take action on WDFW's balanced, conservation-based fishery proposal, and authorize their fisheries independently of any tribal agreement.

This latest crisis facing our fisheries comes on top of the failure of NOAA Fisheries to provide needed ESA permits to over a hundred salmon and steelhead hatcheries and provide the necessary reviews for the Mitchell Act program that funds 1/3 of all Columbia River hatchery salmon production- putting our fisheries at extreme risk to closure due to litigation from anti-hatchery organizations!

Please weigh in with your elected officials and NOAA Fisheries on behalf of conservation, fairness, and a Puget Sound sport fishing season!


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