It's on ifish and steelehader.net too. I called and sent emails!

Mine is sent. I think it is a good sign that they are trying to run this through before anyone notices, we must be making a few waves for the status quo in Olympia. Keep up the pressure!


sick 'em
baddawg

After sending my letter to the senators ai went one of to the gov.

Dear Governor Gregoire.

Thank you for hearing us and changing the WDFW commissioners with a more sports and environmentally conscious group. Now you have spoken the commercial fishermen are at it again to overturn your work to get another strangle hold on Washington. There is a meeting, possibly Wednesday, to oust Clyde McBrayer from the commission before he even gets a chance to get his feet wet. It is imperative we keep Clyde and have him approved by the senate. Commercials are going to sidetrack the commission to get control of it once more. I applaud you for “shaking the tree” and ask you to do it one more time. Please contact Commissioners Roehl and Ozment and tell them that this is unacceptable, and they need to support and not undermine you. Responsible parties for Clyde’s removal are:

Sen. Spanel (PS crabbers and gillnetters)
Sen. Doumit (SW Gillnetters)
Sen. Jacobsen
Commissioner Roehl
Commissioner Ozment
Director Koenings

I urge you to contact the following Senators to have Clyde approved immediately.

Senator Bob Morton 360.786.7612
Senator Val Stevens 360.786.7676
Senator Dan Swecker 360.786.7638
Senator Karen Fraser 360.786.7642
Senator Jim Hargrove 360.786.7646

Thank you very much
Sincerely yours
Ron Garner

There may be an opportunity to present public testimony at a hearing tomorrow morning...sorry to all for the short notice, but we all just found out yesterday afternoon.

Get this...the original plan was to have the hearing THIS MORNING, and tell no one...guess who else they left off the invite list? Commissioner McBrayer himself!

The Governor herself interceded, and bought us one more day, 'til tomorrow morning, to get the e-mails and phone calls in, and to make emergency plans to get down there for the hearing for those who can make such plans on such short notice.

Clyde and I spoke this morning, and he is grateful for the quick and unified response from the sportfishing community...

I will post any information about the hearing tomorrow as soon as I get it.

Fish on...

Todd

I just completed my call to the last of the 5 Senators who will vote to decide Clyde's fate on the commission tomorrow. The people answering the phones all reported they are being "snowstormed", "swamped", "deluged", "overwhelmed by the responces".
IT'S WORKING !!
KEEP IT UP SPORTSMEN !!!
E-mails should continue until Wednesday morning, and voice-mails can be left all night until we fill that box too.
GO-GO-GO-GO WE ARE MAKING A STRONG STATEMENT !!!!

Here is the Wild Steelhead Coalition's announcement, which goes out to over 40 regional conservation and sportfishing advocacy groups.

***************

Steelhead Summit Alliance members!

There is trouble brewing in Olympia right now, and it is centered around WDFW Commissioner Clyde McBrayer, a much needed resource and sportfishing advocate on the Commission.

During his short tenure on the Commission, McBrayer has become a strongly spoken advocate for both the protection of our resources, and for the recreational fishing community, and has openly questioned the focus of the WDFW on resource harvest, especially through the commercial fishing industry.

As the new members of the Commission are seeking to establish themselves within the Commission, the commercial fishing lobbies, along with their friends in the State Senate, on the WDFW Commission, and in WDFW, are mounting what can only be called an all out attack on McBrayer, attempting to set the tone of "business as usual" in fisheries management.

With no public announcements, a vote of "no confidence" in McBrayer has been scheduled in the Senate Natural Resources Committee for tomorrow morning, Wednesday April 20. There are several members of that committee who are firmly on the side of removing McBrayer, and several who are firmly opposed to his removal.

The rest are the "swing votes" who will effectively be making the decision.

If the "no confidence" vote passes out of the NRC, it will then have to go to the full Senate for a vote, and a majority vote there would cancel McBrayer's appointment and open his chair for another candidate. A failed "no confidence" vote would open the door to McBrayer's confirmation, whereby he would attain full membership in the Commission.

Considering the known voting records and opinions of the confirmed commissioners, and the relatively unknown, but hopeful, direction that the new commissioners will seek to take the Department, it is vital for the protection of the resources that Clyde McBrayer stay on the Commission.

Here is Commissioner McBrayer's bio:

Clyde McBrayer

Clyde McBrayer, of Olympia, worked as a high school teacher, adjunct professor, and educational administrator after receiving a master's degree in science from the University of Washington. Since retiring in 1994, he has served as an adviser to WDFW as a member of the department's Sport Fishing Advisory Committee and the Puget Sound Crab Advisory Committee. He has also participated in the North of Falcon season-setting process for salmon for the past 10 years. (CURRENT TERM: Jan. 1, 2005 - Dec. 31, 2010)

Clyde is also an avid sportfisherman, and has worked with the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association prior to joining the WDFW Commission.

Please send e-mails, and make phone calls, to the Senators' offices listed below, urging them to vote to retain Commissioner McBrayer. Also, please contact your own Senator to let them know how you feel about this political gambit from the commercial fishing lobby, and that if the vote gets out of the NRC into the full Senate, you expect them to vote to retain McBrayer.

As this is an emergency situation, there is no time to send letters via regular mail; your comments to the below Senators must be received by them TODAY, April 19.

Senator Bob Morton morton.bob@leg.wa.gov 360.786.7612


Senator Val Stevens stevens.val@leg.wa.gov 360.786.7676


Senator Dan Swecker swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov 360.786.7638


Senator Karen Fraser fraser.karen@leg.wa.gov 360.786.7642


Senator Jim Hargrove hargrove.jim@leg.wa.gov 360.786.7646


Thank you all very much for your consideration in this matter. I will send out an update as soon as the meeting in Olympia is over tomorrow morning.

Yours in service to the resource,

Todd Ripley
Vice President, Political Affairs
Wild Steelhead Coalition

Don't forget to call the legislative hotline, 1-800-562-6000. It's easy and only takes a moment.

First thing the they ask is where are you from. If your not from their district they just say thank you and hang up.
Let them know that organizations you are from.

You have been asked to this point to focus on a select group of Senators to push for Clyde McBrayer’s confirmation to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. I am hearing good reports on the level of contacts to the original five Senators being focused on. It is now time to expand that group to the Senate as a whole. I have again added the list of the entire Senate for your use.

The message is the same: Confirm Clyde McBrayer to the Fish and Wildlife Commission!

Please send your emails now!!! There is no time to waste.


Senator Brad Benson
benson.brad@leg.wa.gov
Senator Don Benton
benton.don@leg.wa.gov
Senator Jean Berkey
berkey.jean@leg.wa.gov
Senator Dale Brandland
brandland.dale@leg.wa.gov
Senator Lisa Brown
brown.lisa@leg.wa.gov
Senator Mike Carrell
carrell.michael@leg.wa.gov
Senator Alex Deccio
deccio.alex@leg.wa.gov
Senator Jerome Delvin
delvin.jerome@leg.wa.gov
Senator Mark Doumit
doumit.mark@leg.wa.gov
Senator Tracey Eide
eide.tracey@leg.wa.gov
Senator Luke Esser
esser.luke@leg.wa.gov
Senator Darlene Fairley
fairley.darlene@leg.wa.gov
Senator Bill Finkbeiner
finkbeiner.bill@leg.wa.gov
Senator Rosa Franklin
franklin.rosa@leg.wa.gov
Senator Karen Fraser
fraser.karen@leg.wa.gov
Senator James Hargrove
hargrove.jim@leg.wa.gov
Senator Mary Margaret Haugen
haugen.marymargaret@leg.wa.gov
Senator Mike Hewitt
hewitt.mike@leg.wa.gov
Senator Jim Honeyford
honeyford.jim@leg.wa.gov
Senator Ken Jacobsen
jacobsen.ken@leg.wa.gov
Senator Stephen Johnson
johnson.stephen@leg.wa.gov
Senator Jim Kastama
kastama.jim@leg.wa.gov
Senator Karen Keiser
keiser.karen@leg.wa.gov
Senator Adam Kline
kline.adam@leg.wa.gov
Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
kohl-welles.jeanne@leg.wa.gov
Senator Rosemary McAuliffe
mcauliffe.rosemary@leg.wa.gov
Senator Bob McCaslin
mccaslin.bob@leg.wa.gov
Senator Bob Morton
morton.bob@leg.wa.gov
Senator Joyce Mulliken
mulliken.j@leg.wa.gov
Senator Bob Oke
oke.bob@leg.wa.gov
Senator Linda Evans Parlette
parlette.linda@leg.wa.gov
Senator Cheryl Pflug
pflug.cheryl@leg.wa.gov
Senator Erik Poulsen
poulsen.erik@leg.wa.gov
Senator Margarita Prentice
prentice.margarita@leg.wa.gov
Senator Craig Pridemore
pridemore.craig@leg.wa.gov
Senator Marilyn Rasmussen
rasmussen.marilyn@leg.wa.gov
Senator Debbie Regala
regala.debbie@leg.wa.gov
Senator Pam Roach
roach.pam@leg.wa.gov
Senator Phil Rockefeller
rockefeller.phil@leg.wa.gov
Senator Dave Schmidt
schmidt.dave@leg.wa.gov
Senator Mark Schoesler
schoesler.mark@leg.wa.gov
Senator Tim Sheldon
sheldon.timothy@leg.wa.gov
Senator Paull Shin
shin.paull@leg.wa.gov
Senator Harriet Spanel
spanel.harriet@leg.wa.gov
Senator Val Stevens
stevens.val@leg.wa.gov
Senator Dan Swecker
swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov
Senator Pat Thibaudeau
thibaudeau.pat@leg.wa.gov
Senator Brian Weinstein
weinstein.brian@leg.wa.gov
Senator Joseph Zarelli
zarelli.joseph@leg.wa.gov

I called all 5 and all took my name and address, if I wanted to leave it. None of them said "thank you" and hung up. I did hear that he is getting a lot of support, so keep it up.

Call or email!!!!!!!!

Fishhead5

Sent to the "five":

Honorable Senator,

To anyone who has followed the history of fishery allocations over the past 20 years, it is clear that recreational anglers consistently get whatever "table scraps" deemed available by the commercial interests which have controlled the WDFW fisheries comission.

Only recently has there been hope that changes to the comission might restore some semblace of fairness to the allocation equation.

Now, last minute dirty tricks by the commercial interests are designed to perpetuate the commercial domination of the decision making process. They are hoping to rid themselves of a friend of sportsfishermen by expelling Clyde McBrayer from the comission.

Please do not be swayed by their efforts. Please confirm Clyde McBrayer to a position on the WDFW commission.

Hundreds of thousands of recreational anglers and shellfishers will be awaiting the outcome of tomorrow's confirmation. Please do not let us down.

I thank you in advance for your thoughful consideration of this matter,

Murphy Rhodes

Sent to 32nd Dist State Senator.

I live in and in am active in both business and social circles in Edmonds. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and send the message that I am a passionate sports fisherman, club member of several sportsmen’s and women’s organizations and boat owners clubs. I am disgusted that the commercial fishing lobby as well as several (commercially influenced) members of WDFW staff are challenging Clyde McBrayer's position after his recent appointment by Gov. Gregoire to the WDFW Commissioner Board.

His position as an advocate of fair allocation, protection, and conservation of game and natural resources is an excellent representation of what both sportfishers and biologists have long wished for in Olympia. Clyde finally offers a common sense voice to a board that has historically made Washington fisheries management the laughing stock of the Nation.

Please take note that the future of our resources is in your hands. Your constituents want you to confirm Clyde McBrayer to a position on the WDFW commission.

Respectfully,

Trevor S. Campbell

I think there are 9 senators in that committee and not 5. Also on the list I believe is Bob Oki (r) from Kitsap & pierce county. Spanil (d) San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties, Ken Jacobsen who is chair (D) King county and Mark Doumit vice chair (D) Pacific, and grays harbor.

The Democrats out number the republicans 5 to 4. I'm sure the the governor has made calls to those from her party. But being some of those counties are heavy crabing and commercial fishing intrests a phone call from her may not be enough.
So keep the e-mails and phone calls going.

It is important to contact these other four senators.

Spanel, Doumit, and Jacobsen are the three that are pushing to get McBrayer off.

Thanks for all the great info. I have sent my emails plus have a whole bunch of my fishing buddies doing the same...Don

Here is the cut and paste version so you can mass email if you have to.

keiser.karen@leg.wa.gov,
kline.adam@leg.wa.gov,
kohl-welles.jeanne@leg.wa.gov,
mcauliffe.rosemary@leg.wa.gov,
mccaslin.bob@leg.wa.gov,
morton.bob@leg.wa.gov,
mulliken.j@leg.wa.gov,
oke.bob@leg.wa.gov,
parlette.linda@leg.wa.gov,
pflug.cheryl@leg.wa.gov, poulsen.erik@leg.wa.gov,
prentice.margarita@leg.wa.gov,
pridemore.craig@leg.wa.gov,
rasmussen.marilyn@leg.wa.gov,
regala.debbie@leg.wa.gov,
roach.pam@leg.wa.gov,
rockefeller.phil@leg.wa.gov,
schmidt.dave@leg.wa.gov,
schoesler.mark@leg.wa.gov,
sheldon.timothy@leg.wa.gov,
shin.paull@leg.wa.gov,
spanel.harriet@leg.wa.gov,
stevens.val@leg.wa.gov,
swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov,
thibaudeau.pat@leg.wa.gov,
weinstein.brian@leg.wa.gov,

sent mine

Sent mine as well, thanks for this info!

I emailed them all too.
Can we get Osment and Roehl UNCONFIRMED? A little pay back would make me happier.

Everyone, thank you for your efforts so far.

As for a status update:

The hearing in committee that was planned for today was not scheduled and has not happened, yet. There is a group of sport fishing representatives currently at the capitol working all the angles. I am only receiving brief updates due to nobody having the time to talk at length. The conversations lead me to believe that they are working with the suspicion that we may see a senate floor vote. Unless the session is extended (unlikely) it is over at the end of the week.

The deadline for sending out e-mail’s requested in the previous message is extended. If you have not already sent messages to the five key senators and your own senator please do so now.

Senator Bob Morton 360.786.7612
Senator Val Stevens 360.786.7676
Senator Dan Swecker 360.786.7638
Senator Karen Fraser 360.786.7642
Senator Jim Hargrove 360.786.7646

Statewide map to find your senator: http://www1.leg.wa.gov/common/maps/statewide


For those of you who can spare the time, please start contacting all the other senators. I know this is a significant impact on your time those who do should know that they are appreciated.