FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 6, 2008
CONTACT: Ted Venker, 1-800-201-FISH
CCA Adds Advocacy Expertise in the Pacific Northwest

PACIFIC NORTHWEST - Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is pleased to announce that Heath Heikkila has joined its advocacy team to provide strategic guidance and counsel to CCA chapters in Washington and Oregon. He joins a veteran CCA national advocacy team that includes Robert G. Hayes, general counsel, Richen Brame, Atlantic States Fisheries Director, Dr. Russell Nelson, Gulf Fisheries Consultant, and Matt Paxton, federal lobbyist.
"The combination of spectacular membership growth and a highly successful inaugural banquet season has allowed us to achieve yet another milestone in our development: the hiring of Heath Heikkila as the Pacific States Fisheries Director," said Angela Hult, chairman of the CCA Regional Government Relations Committee. "Throughout his career, Heath has worked on some of the toughest fisheries management issues the region has to offer and has maintained good working relationships within the Northwest Congressional delegation, agency staff, and state and local elected officials. His insight and guidance will be tremendous assets for CCA."
In 2004, Heikkila joined the Washington, D.C. office of Ball Janik LLP, a Portland-based law and government relations firm. During his time with Ball Janik, he represented several Pacific Northwest clients on natural resource, environmental and public land matters before the Congress and the Executive Branch.
"This hire is a logical and critical next step for CCA in the region," said Gary Loomis, chairman of CCA in the Northwest. "More than 6,000 conservationists joined the Washington and Oregon chapters in their first year of existence. The first CCA banquets held in the region this year were a success by every measure. Heath's knowledge and experience are a perfect complement to the enthusiasm of our grassroots network here."
Prior to joining Ball Janik, Heikkila served as a policy advisor at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration where he focused on endangered salmon recovery efforts on the West Coast. With 27 stocks of salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a wide range of public land management, hydroelectric energy, irrigation and transportation activities in the Pacific Northwest and California were subject to agency consultation and review. He had direct involvement in legislative, public affairs and policy development aspects of agency recovery efforts.
"CCA has always prided itself on the strength of its advocacy team, and we are a stronger organization with the addition of Heath Heikkila to that team," said David Cummins, president of CCA. "There is a lot of work to do in the Pacific Northwest, and CCA PNW is gearing up for the challenge."

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One small step of what I hope will be many more......

Exciting stuff!

Pretty cool news.

That is super exciting news for CCA to get someone of this caliber.....

Restores my faith in my own judgement, good move.

Here you go.

http://www.balljanik.com/professionals/bio.aspx?id=22&number=s0

Have any of you guys researched who this guy has lobbied for in the past, or are you basing your excitement on a CCA press release?

Oregon Citizens for a Sound Economy

These are the same guys who were one of the parties suing to remove ESA protection from Oregon Coho, and the same guys who lobbied for the water withdrawals on the Klamath that not only killed 70,000 Chinook, but is part of the reason why the entire states of Oregon and California have no saltwater fishing this year.

Just some food for thought...

Fish on...

Todd

Lobbyists lobby.

It's what they do....

Thank goodness he's on our side. A real powerhouse.

True...some lobby for fish, and some lobby for property rights advocates who think hatchery fish should be counted so that fish are delisted from the ESA, and some lobby for water withdrawals that destroy sportfishing in the salt from San Diego to Portland...

I guess a "win is a win"...

Fish on...

Todd

Some lobby for what ever "cause" pays them the most.

Or some just take the money and run apparently.

Bet this one won't.

I just wouldn't get too excited when the press release says...

"he represented several Pacific Northwest clients on natural resource, environmental and public land matters before the Congress and the Executive Branch."

...when those clients were the ones killing salmon and salmon fishing on the west coast...

Fish on...

Todd

Yep.

Wow...that says it all.

Fish on...

Todd

Todd -

I can respect the skepticism you have about the CCA. Some of the concerns you've voiced are the same reason why I haven't joined the CCA -- mainly because they dont seem to have a clear position on the issues.

However, I really dont understand how you can jump to so many conclusions about this new guy. I'm just finishing my second year of law school, so I wont even pretend to know as much as you do about ethics, advocacy and conflicts of interest, but does it necessarily matter who some of his former clients are? Doesn't he have have a duty to be a zealous advocate for his current client?

If anything, I'd think that if he's been at both sides of the table, he'd know how to advise a group that represents sportfisherman better than some elitist wild fish advocate who thinks industry has no legitimate positions in the law.

Frankly, i would think that someone who has experience on both sides of the table would be in a great position to serve as an advocate and advisor for a group like CCA. You dont have to be a card-carrying, anti-establishment liberal to be a fish advocate. BTW, I'm not suggesting that you are either. But I just dont see the issue to be nearly as B/W as you do.

Dom

I don't necessarily think that a lobbyist is an automatically bad choice because they have been on both sides of the table, but it does provide food for thought.

Was this guy hired by CCA-PNW, or by CCA National? What I mean by that, is who did the interviewing? Who selected the candidates...and most importantly, who decided on Heikkila?

Did you guys here in CCAPNW even know that this process was taking place, or did you find out in a press release?

National's ties to Big Energy, and big users of electricity from the Columbia River dams, is troublesome enough to me...it's why I think you'll never get the go ahead from National CCA to go after dams or dam operators around here, not if it makes electricity one cent more expensive.

Now a lobbyist is hired who has a track record of lobbying for "hatchery fish are the same as wild" and for groups who applauded the Klamath River water withdrawals as "responsible"...the withdrawals that shut down the coastal sportfishing industry in 4/5 of the west coast.

Sooner or later something has to happen that doesn't tie back into the same people and places...sooner or later there has to be someone who advocates for the fish, rather than just advocates against other users of the fish and the habitat.

Fish on...

Todd

Give it a rest Todd. Your starting to remind me of CFM. Let the people get their own education.

WHAT??

...It's just getting interesting!



Don't tell me you'd rather see endless pages full of one sentence (or less) stroke-offs?

I wish it were that simple, JG...most folks evidently prefer to not do it, though...

Fish on...

Todd

My parents couldn't afford law school.

Todd you are sounding a little "my way or the highway"....The jury is still out on CCA and I see no useful purpose to constantly find fault with a group that hasn't done anything but get organized and raise money so far. Even you might have to admit that a bunch of volunteer activists like yourself have achieved next to nothing you can honestly call a "win". Why not let the new kid on the block give it a go? One thing they are doing right in my opinion is hiring people instead of relying on volunteers. Who cares if the national folks did the hiring or not? Maybe they plan to spread the wealth and use this guy in a number of ways and in a number of venues?

One of the main problems with past fisheries crusades is that all the different groups are so narrowly focused and myopic that they tend to compete with each other in too many ways as to be totally ineffective.

No offense but so many of your opinions are facts..in your own mind. Open up a bit and try to understand where others are coming from. The discussion of CCA should not continually end up with personal insults.

What CCA really needs is a spokesman, instead of info coming from every which way. They need one person who has permission to speak on behalf of the orginization and keep everyone else from getting in these stupid discussions that end in Todd and AuntyM insulting each other every time.

Grizz1,

Todd may be a little zealous in his own right, but I had some of the same thoughts he expressed when I read the announcement. I'm not yet a CCA member, so I hope that is the only reason why I had no idea CCA had a vacancy announcement, or that any candidates were being interviewed. Reading of the hiring after the fact reminded me of fait accompli, leaving me wondering if CCA attempted to recruit and hire the best candidate through an open competitive process. If not, then I'm left speculating that it might have been nepotism or cronyism, which admittedly has been known to produce outstanding performers sometimes.

I do wish CCA the very best of success, and I hope the new guy is a key contributor to that success.

Sg

No problem with questioning things but when questioning is always done in an effort to discredit people stop listening.

I'm also not a CCA member but do follow the CCA threads. I appreciate that we can hear both sides of the argument. I know that many are growing weary of Todd's interjections but I actual find them useful. They tend to have far more substance than many of the "you have to join or you're ruining the world" posts coming from the other side.

I know that the threads can get a little too personal at times but the overall debate occurring overshadows that. Just a vote to let some of these CCA threads meander rather than trying to channelize them or shut them down. The actual fisheries issues that get discussed because of the CCA are important to all of us, whether or not CCAPNW wilts or blossoms.

I couldn't agree with more with the sentiment that CCA needs an official reresentive to be speaking for them on these types of boards. It would serve them well.

-Kaiser D.

Got Sand?

Where the sand is....thats what counts KK.

Well said, I could not agree more. I also follow the threads, trying to educate myself in the process.

The fact is that Todd has worked long and hard to help restore our wild salmonids. Few have done more than he for a longer time. He has proven his dedication. Still, CCA has a proven track record of improving fisheries and they seem to be well organized and well financed. I respect Todd and I belong to CCA. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

I suspect the commies love to see us keep fighting each other. If we could simply pull together on the issues upon which we agree and ignore the others we might have a chance. So far I see far too little of that.

As far as some CCA members putting out a message of join or all is lost, that's unfortunate. (Still any large organization will have some members that we don’t agree with. Do you agree with everything your candidate for Pres says? ) But you must admit that, to date, we have been losing the battle.

I see CCA as a hope, perhaps one day they will be more than that, but to bad mouth them for lack of accomplishments in the NW is simply silly. They have been here less than a year, are still very much in the development phase, and are still polling members to see what they want addressed first. If you want input - join. If you just want to continue complaining, ask yourself the Dr. Phil question. "How's that working for you so far?"

Well said Dave.

Well said.

Thank you Dave Vedder for a voice of reason in the wilderness.

DV, said it very nicely. Being from the east coast I have seen the changes. Not all people like change and most will tell you do as long as you don't change what they do or how they do it.While I disagree with the join or else attitude, the constant bashing is just as tiresome. Just because they are not lock stepped in place with everyones particular interests does not make them bad or good, they just are. It you agree with the bulk of what they have done and accomplished then their history speaks for themselves. I have long read posts about how bad hatchery fish are and that they should not be in our waters, but if they were not there then the tackle manufacturers would not be in business, so remember that the next time you spend your coin with any organization. If they are going to use their earnings to work against you then don't help pay their way........Shop with those that are trying to help YOU!

I hope that's not a bash on Rvrfshr... because that would be EXTREMELY F.UCKING WEAK.

Nice attempt at but it's obvious that's NOT what he was doing.

Oh?

What do YOU think he's saying?

...is there some other tackle company he could have been referring to?

Maybe ANY tackle company......there are more than one ya' know.
Silver Horde, Dicnite, Scotty, Yakima Bait.....ya' see where I'm goin' with this?

The hiring of the cca fisheries position is a new position. I dont know if the position was advertised or not. Like many key positions, in a variety of fields, exceptional candidates are contacted directly. He already had a job. If he wasnt interested he wouldnt be here. If ccapnw didnt trust him, he wouldnt be here. If he turns out to be a couch potato, he will be replaced, like anyone else on a payroll. Fisherman who dont trust cca, that want to cast dispersions on people that we hire to represent us, I say, go pound sand. We have a chairman, a board an ED and several committees that are completely comitted to achieving our goals. Those members who choose not to serve at the highest level of the organization, must trust those, who do. Just because you buy season tickets to the Sehawks doesnt mean you get to hire the quarterback. I continually read posts from people who are waiting for this or that to happen. Success doesnt happen.

Too many people forget what this fight is about. We had a near capacity crowd at the seatac banquet. Out of about 350 seatac members, less than half bought tickets. But tickets were sold to people who would come to the dinner and spend money. That is what that function is all about. Membership is different. Membership is a quantifiable number to politicians, that determine which way they vote and how much effort they give to our cause. Talk about integrity. We are either counted or not, depending on membership. That is the simple fact why we still have private ownership of guns in this country.

We dont need a designated speaker for websites. What we need is more fisherman who will spend the 25 bucks, to make sure the politicians know, we are serious and we wont take NO for an answer. CCA has no trouble communicating with its members. CCA has no trouble in winning.

Dams will eventually come down regardless. If other technologies had been present and cheap, dams would not have been built. CCA hasnt been pushing for dams, because until recently, there is no visual alternative. CCA will do what its members want to do. The withdrawl of support from oil or utility money, will not destroy our mission or our ability to raise money. (theyve already been involved in the removal of two dams in Maine.)

About 10% of members have the interest and the time to serve in a voluntary capacity. Ive been there. I know for a fact that a lot of volunteers have given up fishing for months at a time, due to their passion and objective. We still need the other 90% to be taken seriously. The current goal is 5000 for washington state. ONE YEAR. The next 1500 members could push us over the top.

when did scotty start making tackle??

I buy both my wife and mother a fishing license each year. They may only fish, shrimp or crab once or twice each year but we support the system.

By taking them to the Sno-King CCA banquet later this month and having purchased the tickets, they are now Associate members. Associates don't receive Tides, the CCA magazine. I already get a copy so it is better to have that extra $10 each go into other CCA funding.

The most important thing about all of our household having CCA membership is that we are all registered voters.

I have been distressed to see some of the name calling that has occurred on this board and hope those that have made these postings start following a simple rule when upset about an issue.

Write your message or letter, but don't send it for 24 hours. Re-read what you wrote and it it is still appropriate, then send it.

We all have different opinoins, that is human nature. Please remember that everyone has a right to their opinion. But let's work together, not fracture our efforts.

I suppose he could have been referring to any tackle company, I just didn't read it the way you did.

By the way, that's a rvrwhrlr in my avatar.

I am referring to "any" one that is acting in a way detrimental to "your" cause.

I feel the same ssf and it has nothing to do with rvrfisher spoons. Hard to sort out the players, but not everything those (mostly big) companies do is in our, or the fishes best interests.

That is good advise Sebastes....

That reminds me, I need to get some more of those spoons and spinners ordered....