My Dad taught me that if you see a wrong, you are obligated to do what you can to make it right; Lots of guys, and I mean LOTS are pissed about whats going on with the fisheries right now. So what can we do?

Let people know what the hell is going on!

Email the papers and the cable news agencies!
Email your lazy overpaid legislatures!
Make up a bunch of leaflets and pass them out on the street corner!
Get the phone book and make cold calls to people letting them know!
Take your boat and park it on the freeway with a big sign saying "I should be spending money in your business!"
Create a web site!
Call in to all the talk shows!
Get all your buddies to gather all your old fishing gear and dump it on the lawn in front of the Dept. of Natural resources!

This is America guys! We were founded on NOT TAKING ANY BS! So why bitch and moan here when there is work to be done!

Here's a sample of one the letter's I sent. This one to Karen Peterson Executive Editor for the Tacoma Tribune:

Ms Peterson,

Do you and your paper have the back bone to tell the truth! Or better yet, to tell the public what politicians don’t want them to know?

Cover whats happening RIGHT NOW with the COHO salmon closure! The Tribes agreed that,due to very poor returns they would not fish commercially! The State CLOSED almost all sport fishing for COHO based on the Tribes negotiations. NOW THE TRIBES ARE COMMERCIALLY FISHING FOR COHO!!! Using fishing methods THAT KILL ENDANGERED WILD FISH!!!!! Where's the coverage????

PLEASE, stop pretending that there is no interest, or this is just to politically sensitive to cover.

DO WHAT NEWSPAPERS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. INFORM THE PUBLIC.

Thank you,

i agree. we get no coverage from the media about whats happening out on the sound. yet we all live around this beautiful eco system and let this s*it happen. we are all becoming just like our state reps, spineless. we're giving up. we need to tell the tribes, you support us the sports fisherman and push for a sound opener or we boycott. Casinos , tribal fish sales, etc. i know this is far fetched, but we can no longer sit on our hands. we gave the Tulalips surplus eggs from the Wallace state hatchery and now that there is an "abundance" the Tulalips will harvest, yet they will not open , even briefly for the sports to do the same. Edmonds & Everett Coho Derbies would harvest maybe 2-3000 Coho max. think of the frenzy it would create and help the local economy.
lets put the total numbers the tribes get on the front page of the Times/ Everett Hearald , etc. lets get Jessie!!! i am serious ! i am emailing him now!

If somebody with better communication skills then my self wants to get something going in area six around Port Angeles, I'm in and could probably recruit a few pissed off non native natives.

That's the spirit. Get mad as hell and don't take it anymore! One man, one voice. Many men, thunder baby THUNDER!!

So, what are the REST of you doing?

I have said it many times.
The State needs to use slot machines as a negotional tool. At the current time they are in sole control of a 600mil industry. We could use this as a bargaining chip, and if they don't want to play nice. Open the whole state to allow slot machines, every gas station, bowling alley and hotel, everywhere. That would put a dent in their coffers.... Monies they might not want to part with.

At the current time they have the sole exclusive right to that fortune...... Because we let them.... Times need to change

I agree 100%! Every time I drive by a casino and I see the parking lot packed my blood boils.

Here's another thought:

Since WE have to by a license to enjoy our hobby, why not require a license to partake in gambling? I mean, after all it is illegal in Washington State right? But if you want to go to a foreign (sovereign) nation and gamble, then you should be required to have a license!

It's a win, win! The license revenue can be used to support the fisheries and the state can charge the tribes for the increased enforcement needed to check for licenses!

Makes too much sense!

As much as I agree with everything above...

This really has some ironies . The irony being how the whiteman a 100 plus years ago was doing all the taking.

I was told, often, that one does not look at what the Leg says but what they put money into. How much money is the Leg putting into fish and game (General Fund).

Despite how we feel about fish and wildlife there are (to the majority of voters and politicians), more important things going on in their minds. If the Tribes and Feds took over anadromous fish I think the leadership of the state would be happy. Or at least not upset.

Lots of things should be more important than the billions of dollars spent on hunting and fishing in this state.

Like how to waste it.

Billions????

I know what you mean, DanS is full of $hit... recreational fishing was only 905 mil in 2006...too bad the analysis didn't include hunting but I doubt it was worth anywhere near 95 million...

I'm pretty sure I said hunting AND fishing - and yes, I said billions. As in more than a billion dollars. Unless WDFW is full of sh!t when they claim the direct economic impact of sport fishing and hunting exceeds a billion dollars annually. http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01145/wdfw_01145.pdf

A billion is a thousand million - dollars in this case - in case that was what was confusing to you.

I'm not known for my math skills but I would have to agree with Dan.

You only have to agree with Dan because if you don't, he will set you on fire.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1206868479356224/?ti=cl
Saturday at Lewis street boat launch in Monroe there will be a protest against fish and game. Like occupy Skagit in a way. Here's your chance to mobilize and act. I heard of a salt water fish in for the shipwreck area but don't have any news past that.