got a nice form letter back from Derek Kilmer in response to my form letter
Dear Mr. Franklin,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the North of Falcon process. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
Let me start by saying that I share your concerns and remain hopeful that the state and tribal co-managers will be able to reach an agreement in time to secure meaningful fishing opportunities for both tribal and non-tribal communities during the 2016-17 season. As both your neighbor and your representative, I’m keenly aware of the cultural and economic importance of these fisheries to communities throughout Puget Sound. For those of us who lived through previous closures in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, the recent TNT article simply underscores the rippling economic impacts that a closure of our fisheries would have.
That’s why I’ve followed the negotiations closely, and over the past few weeks have spoken personally to leaders at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission to express my concerns and encourage folks to continue to work toward an agreement that will meet conservation goals and support fishing opportunities for everyone. This fishery is important to every community I represent – we simply can’t have winners and losers.
I understand that stakeholders’ meetings are ongoing and I remain hopeful that folks can resolve the outstanding issues and come to an agreement that will support tribal and non-tribal fisheries in the 2016-17 season.
Looking ahead, these challenges will persist – and will threaten the future of our fisheries – if we fail to address conservation challenges. That's why, as your representative and as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I've been working to secure funding for NOAA’s Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery program, the operation and maintenance of salmon and steelhead hatcheries, and the restoration of habitat and water quality in Puget Sound. I believe such funding is critical if we're going to restore our stocks. Failure to step up will have significant economic and cultural consequences.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. I will continue to keep you updated as this process unfolds. It is an honor to serve as your representative.
Sincerely,
Derek Kilmer
Member of Congress
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