Dino Rossi Releases Official Position on Fishing in Washington State





Dino Rossi has long been a supporter of recreational fishing. Raised one of seven children, Dino often spent weekends with his family enjoying the natural beauty of our state with a rod and reel. Today as a father of four children, you will still find Dino along the riverbanks with his kids trying to catch dinner. Dino understands that the recreational fisher in Washington enjoys a way of life that needs to be protected and preserved. As Governor, Dino will implement policies that ensure our children and grandchildren enjoy these same natural resources for years to come.



Dino Rossi also understands that the recreational fishing industry brings in a substantial amount of money to both the state and local economies. He also has a proven track record of supporting hatchery funding and reform, and will continue this direction as Governor.





Adoption of Selective Harvest Practices for Salmon



We have a number of salmon populations in our state that are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and need to be protected to ensure their recovery. But we also have many healthy hatchery runs of salmon that are available for harvest that are inter-mixed with the ESA-listed stocks. The Gregoire administration has allowed for the continued destructive harvest of protected stocks in several non-selective commercial fisheries. Utilization of selective harvest practices provides opportunities for expansion of recreational fishing seasons, allows for the growth of several existing selective harvest commercial salmon fisheries, and opens the door for other innovative methods for selectively harvesting hatchery salmon. Conservation of sensitive and listed stocks is the key to the salmon recovery that all of our state’s citizens want while maintaining our Northwest culture and lifestyle.



At the August 2007 Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting in Olympia, the Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG), an independent organization studying needed hatchery reforms both in facility improvement and salmon hatchery stock changes, testified before the Commission that continuing on the current salmon management regime allowing non-selective harvest of ESA-listed salmon, would – at best – assure the status quo in wild salmon populations, and at worst could even assist the continued decline of wild salmon. Congressman Norm Dicks re-enforced the testimony of the Vice Chair of the HSRG and encouraged the F&W Commission to adopt selective salmon fishing as a Commission policy. As yet, the Gregoire-appointed Commission has not adopted selective salmon harvest as a policy.



As Governor, Dino Rossi will retain or appoint Fish and Wildlife Commissioners who share his vision of a selective salmon harvest policy as a tool to restore our wild salmon, and who will also further promote wise management of all our state’s fish and wildlife lands and resources.



Dino Rossi’s goal is to expand salmon fishing opportunities for everyone through the adoption of selective harvest practices, as well as needed hatchery reform. He wants state policies to change so that we work for the day when all who fish here share an abundant resource rather than wait for the day when we fight over the last fish. In addition to innovations in recreational and commercial harvest practices, Dino believes that we can not only realize the restoration of our once great wild salmon runs, but also have salmon available for everyone, whether they want to catch it themselves on a family fishing outing or purchase a fresh salmon in a market. Selective harvest is key in achieving that goal.









Derelict Fishing Gear Removal



The Puget Sound Derelict Fishing Gear Program, conducted by the federally funded Northwest Straits Commission (NWSC), estimates that there are nearly 4,000 derelict fishing nets, also known as ghost nets, remaining in the waters of Puget Sound. These nets continually ensnare untold thousands of fish, seabirds, marine mammals and other organisms throughout the extended life of the rot-resistant synthetic mesh. In addition to nets, the bottom of Puget Sound is littered with an estimated 14,000 derelict recreational and commercial crab pots estimated to be killing as many as half a million crabs per year.



There are also significant amounts of derelict fishing gear in the Columbia River.



More attention is needed to address this silent killer of marine life. There is no state or federal agency solely responsible for the removal of derelict fishing gear. Furthermore, funding for this effort is woefully inadequate. A relatively modest investment of $5 to $6 million would fund the removal of 90% of the Puget Sound ghost nets and a significant number of derelict crab pots.



One state agency should be vested with the responsibility for removing derelict fishing gear.



Legislation should be enacted at the state level to create a mandatory system for tracking and reporting derelict fishing gear, along with a user fee system for funding its removal.



As Governor, Dino Rossi will fund $6 million in the state budget to remove abandoned fish nets and crab pots from state waters.







Salmon Interception



The United States and Canada recently approved a new Salmon Interception Treaty. The new treaty requires Alaska and Canada to provide safe passage each year for an anticipated additional return of 100,000 Northwest produced Chinook salmon back to Washington and Oregon for the next 10 years. About 65,000 of these Chinook salmon are hatchery-raised, fin-clipped fish. The question among recreational, treaty, and commercial fishers, as well as salmon conservationists, is how should these hatchery Chinook be shared? Currently, Governor Gregoire’s office has no plan.



As Governor, Dino Rossi’s plan will be:



· Continued communication and participation in a U.S./ Canada domestic conservation plan that provides safe passage for wild Chinook back to their natal streams.



· Oversee a domestic selective fishing harvest plan that intercepts a large portion of hatchery-produced salmon prior to spawning in their river/hatchery of origin.





Hatchery Funding and Reform



Hatcheries have a vital role to play in aiding the conservation and recovery of natural populations of salmon and steelhead while also contributing to sustainable fisheries. There are hundreds of hatchery programs operating throughout coastal Washington and the Columbia basin. In recent years important hatchery review efforts, including the Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG), have illustrated the need for better funding and operation of state, federal and tribal hatcheries. The two largest salmon advocacy organizations in the state, The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), and Puget Sound Anglers (PSA), as well as several commercial salmon fishing organizations have gone on record at Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings in favor of hatchery funding and reform, and support the important role that hatcheries have to play in conserving and sustaining salmon stocks.



The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) operates nearly 100 hatcheries in Washington State. It is important that WDFW move forward with implementing hatchery reform efforts, including hatchery production that supports mark selective fisheries. Hatchery improvements must be funded to ensure the future of salmon recovery AND the future of all fishing in our state.



Without hatchery-raised salmon and steelhead, fishing as we know it will cease to exist in Washington. Funding hatchery improvements provides an investment in the future of our fishing communities, the tourist industry, the fishing tackle industry, and the boat building industry, and guarantees the continuation of the Northwest outdoor lifestyle and culture.



The Democratic leadership of recent years has failed to adequately fund hatcheries for the raising of salmon or steelhead. Hatchery funding has continued to be neglected and under funded by the Gregoire administration. This irresponsible budgetary shortfall and subsequent detrimental effect to salmon recovery and salmon harvest for both recreation and commercial fishing falls directly into the lap of the Gregoire administration and Democratic leadership.



Dino Rossi supports hatchery reform and considers hatcheries to be a vital link in building healthy salmon populations. He has a documented history of supporting hatcheries and hatchery funding as a State Senator and he will continue to support hatchery funding as Governor.

"Adoption of selective harvest practices for salmon" sounds noble but why not cut to the chase and implement legislation that will change the directive that WDFW manage the resource for sport AND commercial fisheries.

Makes me want to kick someone in the nuts everytime I see a run commercially over-exploited. We ask "why?" and are spoon fed the "Because we must offer commercial fishing opportunity by law blah, blah, blah........"

If Dino really sees the value of the sport dollar this should be a no-brainer.

Dino Rossi also understands that he needs to try and get elected.

Again

His positions on state governance will not matter, as he will be losing...............again.................

Previously I heard Dino had the commercial guys in his back pocket, does anyone know how much the commercial's have donated to Dino's campaign?

Considering how long it takes you guys to count the ballots up there it's a wonder anyone is in office.

Dino doesn't have anyone in his back pocket...

He is, however, in a few pockets himself...and as a member of the recreational fishing industry, I can tell you that he's not in our pocket.

'Nuf sed.

Vote for him if you believe in the policies he supports...but if you are supporting him because you think he is good for fish and fishing, then you may as well get a "Sportsmen for Dino!" bumper sticker and stick it right next to your "Sportsmen for Bush!" sticker...further proving that you have not a clue about what commercial fishermen and the BIAW do to destroy your recreational activities.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. Dino is in the pockets of both the commercial fishing industry, and the BIAW...he's in the bag in the wallet in the billfold in the pocket of the BIAW.

I, for one, appreciate the cleverly sleazy writing in this position paper. My personal favorite bit is "Dino Rossi will retain or appoint Fish and Wildlife Commissioners who share his vision of a selective salmon harvest policy as a tool to restore our wild salmon"

See how he did that? He's not even saying he's in favor/a fan of selective fisheries. It's just a tool. It's neither good or bad... We should use it when appropriate, which is of course, never.

And by IT, I assume you mean Dino. A tool.

-S

Since Dino is all about business and development, I'm very curious about his position that reconciles the conflicts of mutual exclusivity between business and development and wild salmon and steelhead recovery. That has 10 times the impact than his favorable platitudes about hatchery funding and selective fishing. He appears to subscribe to the notion that the pie can still be made larger for all fishing interests. Any failure to acknowledge that fish are a scarce resource and how they intend to allocate a limited harvest opportunity is an indication of ignorance or duplicity or both.

Sg

WOW... thank you brushbear!!

After today i REALLY needed a good laugh.....

wait, you werent trying to convert anyone by posting that horse sh%t were you? I hope not.....

I just pass along the information

Fish mean nothing to some people, all the talk about the HRSG and selective harvest and no position paper is good enough. But, when CG comes out and says,.......... after four years, you gobble it up. You like paying more taxes, you like the state having a deficit, but bitch about the national debt. It doesnt matter that ALL of the money for the ghost net program has been coming from the Feds and is not nearly enough, nor is guaranteed, you would rather spend money on rapid transit that noone will use from the airport, has lost money in every city in the nation and support an administration and a commission that tries to screw you out of the fish you pay for and the ghost nets that you pay for. Gregoire is in the pocket of the TRIBES. When is the last time you agreed with them! How about the education in this state, we are flunking. We spend millions on a WASL that few people like. If kids get a lousy education, the good jobs will disappear from this state and go somewhere else. Some seem to worry about the building trades, but yet the current administration does not have enough LE to uphold the current laws on the books about docks and other structures that affect salt water habitat. A position paper on that very issue is being developed and will be sent to cca for research and adoption.

You wont get rid of any dams under CG either or Obama. Its time to decide how long you can put up with a republican governor in this state and get something done for the resource. Or you can continue to pay 20% more for your power bill to BPA for fish you arent allowed to catch. The perfect is the enemy of the good. Your all or nothing approach is no better than Pat Robertson religious views. Get ready for another round of tax increases and no more roads. Tell the Noriega crowd whatever you want, but vote, for the policies that change the fisheries policies in this state.

If you want to see the chances for salmon recovery dashed... vote for Dino.

Pro development is anti-recovery.

http://www.dinorossi.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=66

See how great Gregoire is.

I doubt that anyone is really interested in "saving" our ecosystems and the resources that live in them. Read salmon 2100 and ask yourself how we are going to deal with population; not only here but in the world? Water for people takes water from fish-hence fewer fish. Food for people takes land; mhence fewer terrestrial resources. People need a place to live. How many deer are in downtown Seattle?

Increased population brings more cars, uses more gas, and so on. Where will we get more of a finite resouce? We can drill every oil field in the world and it is still going to run out. Maybe not in my lifetime, but sooner than later. Where should fossil fules be used? In transporting consumer goods, providing for national defense, or in gas-guzzlers?

The task of maintaining our world is much larger than soundbites about "drill ANWR", build mass-transit, or whatever is on the day's news.

The problem is big and I don't think that maintaining a narrow self-interest as individuals or as a nation is helping to solve it.

Candidates, for whatever office they are running for, will say what the voters want to hear. And we let them. The "leaders" will never lead unless forced to. Election or re-election is too important to risk alienating anyone.

just about anything is better than what we currently have.

LB, lets see we have had dams since the 50s, um, how was fishing in the 50's, 60's, 70's etc. Well as a life long Washingington resident, and a 70's Westport Charter boat owner I can tell you the fishing was great, the limit was 3 fish a day 7 days a week. We were the Salmon capital of the world.
No, the dams are not the problem. The problem stems primarily from too many nets in rivers not allowing fish to make it to the spawning beds. There are other issues that also effect the downturn in Salmon, but I would bet if you get the gill nets out of the rivers, that within 5 years we would see a huge return of salmon for all the fisherman.
Just my $.02.........

How many people were fishing in the 50s? Regardless of how one spins it the dams on the Columbia have permanently destroyed somehing like 90% of the spawning and rearing habitat in the river. Salmon don't spawn and rear in the reservoirs. Unless the dams are removed that production of wild fish is totally and forever lost. It can only be pertially replaced by hatcheries; if they are adequately funded, operated and maintained.

Back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s there was probably a lot less people fishing in Alaska and BC, too. Many of the fish caught up there used to return to Washington.

The nets in rivers, while obvious and irritating, generally harvest fewer fish than are taken in ocean fisheries. They are fishing on the leavings, too. While I am certainly not a fan of non-selective fisheries of any type in rivers, we would do more for fish recovery by closing down ALL of the non-selective fisheries in marine waters.