During the crab convoy through Port Townsend yesterday as most of the shop keepers and shoppers smiled, waved and showed their support for us with thumbs up, a group of 5 or 6 commercial fishermen stepped out on the street and spit on us. To me that summed them up in one definitive act. The 242 commercial crabbers spit on the 148,000 sports crabbers. We didn't spit back. We were there to make our case peacefully that the allocations of crab are very unfairly slanted to commercials and the tribes. We made our point and they made their pitiful point too.

We won in my opinion. On Monday you will see an announcement showing why I say that.

Thanks to AuntyM and her husband for being there along with all the other dedicated people willing to give up a precious Saturday to make a difference for everyone else.

Grandpa, thanks for all you, Aunty M and the rest did for this cause. I hope the effort paid off. I had small child committments or would've been there. The behavior of the commercials doesn't surprise me as that's essentially what they've been doing to us in Everett for months.

The commercials must have balls bigger then me! Obviously, Aunty didn't see them do it, or they would have been dangling from her rear view mirror!

It just shows the mentality of how we got to where we are now!

I guess it's a lot easier to "spit" then to talk! Hats off to grandpa, Aunty and all the others who showed up and expressed our views to the Commissioners!


Cowlitzfisherman

They are basically doing the same thing to you on Columbia river springer allocations...them and the WDFW.
The WDFW needs to realize that there is more to Washington sports fishing than just Puget Sound.
Lots of selfishness and greed coming from the commercials on both sides of the river.

Grandpa, AuntyM or any one else who attended - If you can get me the facts, i.e what are the allocations, what are the proposed allocations, and any other pertinent info, I will do a piece on the protest for the next STS column I do. I need the info ASAP, as my deadline is next week. Any photos of the protest, I can use would be awesome.

(Please remember that even if I get the info next week it will be abut two months befroe it appears. STS is now a monthly in the winter so it may be a bit fasater.)

I feel bad I wasn't there. I would have been if I weren't out of town.

You should have reported it to the Police for documentation as spitting on someone is assault.

Likewise, thanks for taking the time to represent the sports guys! We all appreciate your efforts.

Steve

Mr. Vedder, probably your best contact for info on the the protest is Gary Hulsey - president of the East Jefferson County PSA chapter. He organized the event. There is contact info for him on the PSA State Board website:

http://www.pugetsoundanglers.org/index.html

I know that a lot of pictures were taken of the convoy.

I was riding shotgun for Grandpa yesterday. The way that I would recap the behavior of the commercials and our behavior would be:

CLASS vs CRASS

I have my article about done and have sent it to MR. Husey for approval of my facts.

I want to quote one of the attendees about the spitting incident. If you are okay with me printing your name as one who witnessed the spitting or one who was spit on, please contact me.

The entire starboard side of our vehicle was covered with our PSA banner. I couldn't see much of anything and missed the saliva slingers.

PP member "Fishnnut" had his truck spat upon and I will call him now and refer him to this thread.

I too want to thank all who participated in the crab convoy. As one of the newest members to the PSA SnoKing chap, I had learned of the event too late to get it cleared from the boss because she had plans for us that Saturday.

I am looking forward to future activities to bolster sportfishing opportunities and meeting those people active in this area.

BTW -is the PSA meeting this Tuesday??

Can't wait to read Mr. Vedder's piece on this!

Full Freezer

Well Aunty if that is true …Who in the devil was this? I head you put him into your fish box when he lipped off to you!





Cowlitzfisherman

teddy bear??? Well thanks AuntyM..SlabQuest isn't an ogre he is EYORE....Anyway this teddy bear would have turned Grizzly had I been spit on. Especially if those commercial losers were Democrats!!!..I heard they were also throwing rocks. I noticed the little group outside a tavern and noticed they looked surly or atleast unhappy compared to the rest of the citizens of Port Townsend. I think the commercial boys need some good ol fashined WUP A$$. I think Aunty and I could have kicked their butts good.

Thanks for the offer to add this to the article Dave. The best part of this is that I believe it has already worked. Check the WDFW website in the next couple of days for revised crab rules. I liked the part of the day when the commissioners broke for lunch at 10:30am to avoid us. They left for 2 1/2 hours. So darn typical. They expected us to cause a ruckus and disrupt their meeting. We never had that intention. We merely wanted them to see us. And did they ever see us. We just set up camp in the parking lot until the commissioners returned at 12:45 of so. there was not taunting and no unruly behavior. We were just there with our boats and vehicles adorned with signs and banners and crab pots. Like our signs said: "WE CRAB WE FISH WE VOTE"

The next step along the road is to continue to gather signatures on our crab petition. We will be distributing them at the boat show and the two sportsmens shows. Then we convoy to Olympia just prior to the commission's meeting to set the rules in February. We will be writing letters to the law makers in the mean time. The same citizen involvement will continue with all the pertinent fishing issues including the Columbia River.

I have an expression for those who talk a big game but do very little: "Big Hat No Cattle". None of those folks in Port Townsend Saturday. Just some very dedicated sports fishers willing to sacrifice for the cause.

Glad to see that the Commission does what it says it's going to do! Did anyone ask them why they were not following the agreed to lunch time? Maybe you can write them a letter and ask them why they didn't follow the agenda that was issue to the public at this site:
http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/com/dec0603.htm

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 - 8:30 A.M.
8:30 a.m. OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. We encourage you to share your views of Department programs and issues that concern you during this portion of the meeting. (NOTE:

This time is set aside for those who cannot be present later in the day. If workable, please provide your comments during the Open Public Input session later in the day.)

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
10. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY/COMMERCIAL FISHERIES FEES BUYBACK ACCOUNT -- DECISION:
The Commission will consider approving a proposal to delegate authority to the Director to establish and collect fees for buyback rates to be held in a Commercial Fisheries Buyback Account, which was established by House Bill 1887.

Staff Report:
Phil Anderson, Special Assistant to the Director, IRM

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
11. ADOPTION OF COLUMBIA RIVER LIMITED PARTICIPATION SALMON NET FISHERIES RULE:
The Commission will consider adoption of New Section - WAC 220-33-070 - Limited participation commericial salmon fisheries - Columbia River.
Staff Report:

Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River Harvest Manager, Intergovernmental Resource Management (IRM)
Tim Flint, Salmon Resource State Manager, Fish Program

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
12. 2004-2005 COLUMBIA RIVER SPRING CHINOOK FISHERY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS -- BRIEFING AND PUBLIC HEARING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on a proposed two-year (January 2004, through December 31, 2005) Columbia River Spring Chinook Fishery Policy. Additional public comment will be heard and a final decision considered by the Commission at its January 16-17, 2004, workshop in Olympia.

Staff Report:
Bill Tweit, Columbia River Lead, IRM
Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River Harvest Manager, IRM
PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
11:45-1:00 p.m. LUNCH BREAK *********

Hey CFM if I am a teddy bear then Aunty is a sweety pie...She even gave me a present! She is very nice as far as I am concerned. No other anonymous PP folks stepped out of the closet at the event.


Mr Vedder if you are still reading....I need you to email me so I can hook you up with Ron Garner..he is the one the creeps spit at. The other funny thing was the old guys with the big "float" they were treating this as a parade and were tossing candy to the kids and those a$$hole commercial guys picked it up and threw it back. Then they spit and threw rocks. Unbelieveable! We really need to get this in STS and everywhere else. I have already written to Wayne Kruse at the Herald and will be writing to Mark at the Times tonight. The best part is that we were class all the way and the commission was the group being petty. I guess they expected a big mess which I guess I don't blame them for considering the past history of confrontations. The new PSA is all about results and not confrontation. Grandpa is often times confrontational but the teddy bear knows how to get results.

Aunty

I am as sweet as I ever was

You just have to remember that we do not agree 100% on every issue. Most of the times we do agree… but not all the time! My opinion has never changed since the day that I had met you. You are Aunty…I am Cowlitzfisherman! People just need to understand that we are all individuals and will not always agree on every issue and accept that we all have fault.

Grandpa, If you are "teddy bear" then I am a "pussy cat"

Cowlitzfisherman

Aunty

That is true, but real friends tell real friends when they are wrong even when you know they won't like to hear it. You can call them your pal, or you can call them your friend, the name is irrelevant

Cowlitzfisherman

I missed a good portion on King 5 this evening, but I thought I heard buyout (???) Is this correct? I believe payment is 5% of income for the next 30 years (???)

Maybe it was something else (???)

A special thanks to all who participated in the convoy!

Well, sounds like this really struck a nerve. I am Ron Garner, the Vice President of the Puget Sound Anglers SnoKing Chapter and the one that was spit at. I almost missed the Port Townsend event due to the windstorm removing part of my roof. I got it rigged good enough to go at the last minute. I called a fellow SnoKing PSA friend and fishing buddy, JR Rogers (our 2004 secretary for our chapter) and rode with him. Parading down the streets in Port Townsend the first time, there was a lady in front of a bakery that was jumping up and down smiling and waving. Pretty neat. We smiled and waived back. Across the street from her (on my side) were about 7 or 8 guys standing on the sidewalk. I gave them a smile and a wave and one responding with a looger. Back at the fairgrounds I was talking to some of the guys in the truck that was ahead of us. I told him of the spitting incident and he laughed. He told me that he brought candy to throw to the kids. He threw the same guys some candy and they through it back-at them. They also threw a rock at JD Wade, Puget Sound Anglers State Board Vice President of the North Sound, while he was taking pictures. This I didn’t see. He was taking pictures ahead of the convoy. Last thing that was needed for Gary Hulsey and the Port Townsend PSA Chapter was JR and I getting out and getting into it with these guys. JR and I are not small either and are just under 300 pounds each. It could have been ugly. We have worked way to hard the last year building the SnoKing chapter club from 8 members to well over 200 in less than one year. The last thing needed is to give it a blackeye. JR and I are a huge backbone of our club. If we had had a confrontation what would this do for the credibility of the Puget Sound Anglers as a whole? This could have a huge negative impact and set back on the credibility of the new Puget Sound Angler Chapter in Port Townsend and Puget Sound Anglers as a whole. People like JD Wade and Clint Muns (Puget Sound Anglers State Board President) give willingly many, many hours going to senators, legislatures, etc. and the like, for the fishing welfarte of our state. To have a bad incident undo all of their hard work would be unforgivable. We are well know and respected. Many people in British Columbia and the entire Northwest know who we are. I have talked to many guys like Wayne Moss, owner/inventor/maker of Tomic Plugs in BC, the Sportfishing Institute of British Columbia, and even guys running hatcheries in Canada knows who we are. Steve Sande, Murphy Rhodes, JR Rogers, and I have devoted a huge part of our lives and pocketbooks to build the SnoKing Chapter into a great chapter. I would not jeopardize this for anything. Whether people know it or not we are the people behind the scenes that are fighting to keep your fishing alive and well in the greatest state in the US. People like Gary Hulsey and his guys are true leaders in their community. I applaud them for standing up and taking back what is ours. The East Jefferson Chapter is new and they are already getting a good name for themselves. Port Townsend and SnoKing are the fastest growing chapters. Why don’t you join us, the Puget Sound Anglers SnoKing Chapter. We meet in Edmonds on the ground floor of Anthony’s Homeport the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm. We are on the side facing the water. This months speaker (December 9th) will be the owner of Silver Horde/Goldstar, Kelly Morrison. He is very interesting and will tell you the history of why plugs have rattles, and where the triangle rudders came from on downriggers, etc. Come join us, we have food available there at the meeting if you have to come straight after work. Bring your family.
Sincerely,
Ron Garner
Vice President
SnoKing Puget Sound Anglers
rarner755@aol.com

Ron, sounds like you are good cool headed guy, which is always an asset to the organization. Congrats on keeping your eye on the mission.

Thanks to all who supported the cause out there.