Many here have supported us at Washington Citizen Sportsmen and our fight for open, fair and equitable fishery management, this is for you.

If you are really pissed about the current way our fisheries management is being done. I mean REALLY pissed enough to DO something about it, then read on. If you are an armchair warrior and can only muster a bitch session behind a keyboard, stand-by, you can help later.

As most know, a small group of us have been fighting for the rec. community for over a year now, in a struggle to have the Tribal North of Falcon meetings, and all meetings concerning our fish, open, fair and equitable. Many have followed us and supported our fight. But honestly, we grew in numbers but not in influence. The current position of the Commission and the Department to keep giving lip service to Transparency, but basically telling the recs to kiss their ass when it comes time to do something about it is going to continue unless the recreational community becomes a force that must be reckoned with.

I started the Washington Citizen Sportsmen, and our petition as a means to educate my fellow fishermen, and to show the leadership and the department that “their” stakeholders wanted change in the way things were being done. I was very naive in thinking they gave a [Bleeeeep!] about what we think. Over the last year I have been talked down to, ignored, lied to and out right told “Open meetings will never happen” by the leaders in WDFW! My good friend Greg and I have spent a good portion of our lives over the last year fighting this fight. We have poured our blood, sweat and tears into this, and the numbers of supporters continued to grow.

So, where are we today? The Commission vote of NO on the NOF policy conversion was very disappointing. Recently, the Vice Chair and other Commissioners have told us they support what we are doing, and even encouraged us to continue. Then, when it came time for them to put action to words, they showed their true colors. The Commission and the senior leadership in WDFW are led by the nose by the AAG’s. They will never challenge the tribes in favor of the recs because they are told NOT TO through scare tactics and legal smoke and mirrors.

If you are still reading this, then YOU ARE probably the type of person who CAN make a difference.

I have done all I can do with the skills and tools I have available to me. Washington Citizen Sportsmen is a grassroots movement. There is no “Non-profit”, no funds, no legal team and certainly no huge organization. We have the ability to speak to thousands, that is our real power.

If you guys are really, seriously wanting to change the way things are, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START GETTING INVOLVED. I know there is someone out there that can make a web site! There are guys that have Graphic Arts skills, public speaking, belong to lodges, clubs and groups. There has got to be doctors, lawyers and professionals who can help. Business owners who have contacts. Be creative. Hang a freaking sign off a I-5 bridge!

SOMEBODY NEEDS to organize the RECS. I mean like a freaking Million Man March kinda organize! Get a WEB site up and running, start a go fund me and get a lawyer to volunteer some time at cost. Hell, I can send out updates and information through our facebook page and the petition, just let me know. You can’t wait for PSA or CCA to do anything. They are good clubs, but they have to be all things to all people and get buried in all the BS in Olympia!

THERE HAS TO BE SOMEBODY WITH THE SKILLS TO PULL THIS ALL TOGETHER! Talk it out here, formulate a plan, but get organized or give up, simple as that!

I would be happy to help as much as I can, through communications and the such. Here is our email: OpenNOF@gmail.com

I hope this does not just die on the vine, but IT'S UP TO YOU ALL NOW!