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If you go to the WSC Website
http://www.wildsteelheadcoalition.com many of the accomplishments are embedded on this site. I will also share the WSC Year 4 review that was included in the most recent Adipose, the newsletter of the WSC, which is also available of the website:
The State of the Wild Steelhead Coalition: Year 4
A little over four years ago an organization was formed by a group of conservation minded anglers that were concerned about what was happening to wild steelhead. The catalyst for this concern was the closures of some popular C&R fisheries in a few North Sound rivers of Puget Sound. While many of these anglers were disappointed about the closures, they were supported as the right thing to do. But the major rub was: “What got us here in the first place?” Immediately the first focus to stop the decline of wild steelhead was to simply stop killing them. The WSC since has been very successful in reducing harvest, but even more important was the fact it rallied many concerned anglers to get involved and bring attention to the plight of wild steelhead and to move forward tackling the plethora of other issues that affect their abundance. Asking for “release of all wild steelhead no exceptions” is the easy part, but the big question is, are you willing to move forward on all the issues to make positive changes? It will take perseverance from our board, membership and friends to continue and celebrate all incremental victories along the way.
Organization
This is my second year as President of the WSC and I am still impressed with our Board’s ability to work together and their willingness to tirelessly work on many issues and challenges facing wild steelhead. This year we said thank you Peter Dorn for his two years of service as our VP of Fund Raising. Peter did an outstanding job putting together our first two fundraisers and organizing our appearances at the Fly Fishing Show and the Puyallup Sportsman Show which brought greater visibility to the plight of wild steelhead and a challenge to get involved for other anglers. Our old friend and seasoned veteran, Les Johnson has migrated from the Board to one of our valued Trustees position, thanks Les for your continued service. We have also gained some new Board members to the fold who are infusing some new energy; thanks to John Case, VP Communications, Brian Simonseth, VP of Education and Jim Schmitz, Secretary. They have stepped up to help lead the organization. But, we still need members to volunteer and serve has board members, to ensure the board remains energetic in the future to continue our mission for wild steelhead abundance. Our Regional Representative positions expanded with the addition of Michael Mathis, expanding into the Region 1 territory of Eastern Washington and Idaho to help further the goals of WSC. Mike has been a very proactive Rep and has increased our membership single-handily as well as promoting WSC’s Mission. We also continue to have a strong membership which continues to grow with individuals who have volunteered to get involved and help the Board. The WSC has also moved it’s meeting location to the Center for Urban Horticulture at the University of Washington Campus. Our next Membership meeting is scheduled for October 5, please join us for a great program.
Steelhead Summit Alliance (SSA)
The WSC has also hosted two more Steelhead Summits with organizations and clubs from the Northwest and British Columbia. The next Summit is scheduled for December 3rd in Portland, Oregon and will be hosted by the Native Fish Society and Trout Unlimited. These Summits continue to grow and make progress in creating a unified voice for steelhead. Five SSA policy papers are presently going through the approval process. They include Endangered Species Act (ESA), River Flows, Passage Barriers, Hydropower and Riparian Zones. The ESA policy paper has been approved by over twenty organizations with more to come and was sent to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in regards to NOAA’s Fisheries proposed policy to list hatchery salmonids the same as wild salmonids. The Steelhead Management Policy Plan has been approved by the SSA Committee and is currently out to SSA Members for review. Other SSA Policy Papers under development include By Catch, and Hatchery Reform. A SSA Steering Committee has been formed as well as Subject Committees regarding Education and Public Outreach, Wild Salmonid Policy, Enforcement and Atlantic Salmon/Aquaculture. A special thanks to Dave Bailey who continues to be our Summit Coordinator, Dick Burge for organizing the speakers and preparing the Summit agenda and Jack Berryman for serving as Facilitator.
Conservation
The WSC Board of Directors has also focused on many conservation issues this year that will benefit wild steelhead. The following are some highlights:
• The WSC produced and sent a letter to the Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire requesting improved conservation measures and protection for wild steelhead as well as setting the stage to meet with the Governor’s staff to discuss wild steelhead issues in the future.
• Produced and sent a letter to Restaurants Unlimited, requesting that they discontinue the sale of wild steelhead on all of their restaurant’s menus immediately and in the future we also urged a meeting to educate their leadership on the plight of wild steelhead.
• Worked and partnered with American Rivers in their annual listing of America’s Ten Most Endangered Rivers, which this year featured the Skykomish River. The listing of the Sky will bring attention to the continuing loss of habitat and run away development in the Skykomish River valley.
• Developed and provided in-depth Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed Skagit River Steelhead Rearing and Acclimation Facility. The WSC chief concern with the DEIS is, in fact, its failure to explicitly present clear and convincing evidence that the proposed hatchery acclimation project reflects an effective implementation of main Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG) principals for hatchery reform which include clearly stated goals, scientifically defensible programs and informed decision making.
• Submitted Editorial to media and attended hearings to oppose the issue of NOAA Fisheries and the Bush administration’s proposal to lump wild steelhead and salmon together with hatchery fish, and if accepted, would seriously erode protections for wild steelhead and salmon under the Endangered Species Act.
• Traveled, wrote and testified against the Stohrdahl mine expansion proposal along the East Fork of the Lewis River in SW Washington which will further degrade habitat along this famous steelhead river.
• Provided two $500 scholarship awards; One to Michael Dauber, a doctoral student at the University of Washington. Michael is continuing the project started by Jennifer McLean on steelhead genetics in Forks Creek, a tributary of the Willapa River. The second scholarship went to Jon Honea, Center for Streamside Studies and College of Forest Resources, University of Washington for his doctoral dissertation: Effect of Marine-Derived Nutrients on Macroinvertebrate Production in Salmon Spawning Streams. The Board also voted unanimously to donate and become a member of the Stilly Snohomish Fisheries Task Force supporting their work on habitat enhancement and also renewed the WSC membership in the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, recognizing their work in preserving public access and habitat. And the Board agreed to support and co-sponsor the Skagit watershed carcass distribution program and to pay for transportation fees to aid the program ($250.00)
Harvest
Revision 2 of WSC second white paper titled: “The Status of Wild Steelhead in Western Washington” and the WSC Steelhead Management Plan is going to print this month. This information has been shared with the WDFW and the plan will be utilized for crafting input to the WDFW Steelhead Management Plan. A earlier draft of the WSC plan was completed and a link to it was placed on the WSC web site for our membership to download and offer input. The WSC Plan is the also the foundation for the Steelhead Summit Alliance Steelhead Management Policy Plan. This has been a huge undertaking and I would like to publicly recognize Dick Burge’s strong resolve and thank Nate Mantua, Jack Berryman and member Larry Doyle for their support in development of this important document.
The Board was also very busy with work and traveling to testify against the proposed raising of the 2% commercial by-catch of ESA listed wild steelhead to 6% on the Columbia River spring chinook commercial fishery. Even though there was disappointment with Washington’s Commission vote to raise the rate to 4%, Board Member Todd Ripley tirelessly traveled to Oregon and hooked up with our Oregon Regional Rep Shane Stewart, Trustee Bill Bakke and others to convince the Oregon Commissioners not to raise the by catch impact rate. The good news was that our strong resolve convinced Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife Commission to decide against raising the impact rate, and Washington was forced to go along with Oregon’s decision. I would like to recognize Todd Ripley’s dedication to see through this issue.
General
The WSC second fundraising banquet was a huge success with Trey Combs providing a great slide presentation on steelhead in Russia. Bill Redman received the first WSC Conservation Award, recognizing his fine work and perseverance as Chair of the Federation of Fly Fishers Steelhead Committee. Also many thanks to the individuals, shops and companies who donated to our successful event! The money generated by this fundraiser has been a big help with the WSC’s continuing working on our mission. We look forward and hope you will join us at our third fundraising banquet on November 19 at the Sheraton in Bellevue, WA.
The newsletter of the WSC, “The Adipose” continues bring information of what is going on in the organization and provides information on issues regarding wild steelhead. It was also decided this year by the Board to continue “The Adipose” in a bimonthly format. Beside his outstanding duties as the WSC Treasurer, I would like to thank and recognize Bob Young for formatting and sending out “The Adipose”
Wild steelhead are also benefiting from Abel Quality Products, which is offering a collectors’ edition of 100 numbered Super 7 reels artistically anodized to replicate the endangered fish. Abel steelhead reels, inspired by author/artist James Prosek, will include his laser engraved signature. The reel will be accompanied by a signed copy of Prosek’s book, Fly-Fishing the 41st Parallel. Abel is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this collectors’ edition reel to assist the efforts of the Wild Steelhead Coalition, Kirkland, Wash., to further their efforts in sponsoring and sustaining the Steelhead Summit Alliance. The organization has produced “position papers” on specific issues directly impacting wild steelhead. Thanks Abel for stepping forward to support wild steelhead!
We would like to recognize many who have donated to the organization including Paul Utz and the Lower Columbia Fly Fishers. And finally, we would like to thank our membership and other conservationists who have supported the WSC over the course of the year. Your time and contributions are making a difference for wild steelhead. On to year 5!
Sincerely,
Rich Simms
2004-2005 Board President
Wild Steelhead Coalition
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