Our salmon and Recreational Salmon fishing are in decline.

The trend is right before your eyes. Systems mis-managed, access being taken away, fewer hatchery fish being put into rivers, whole rivers being taken…the list goes on and on.

Are things getting better! Really? Ask yourself if you have better fishing opportunities, better access, longer seasons, more abundant fish!

Many people complain. They point to one particular event that impacts them and say “Someone needs to do something about this.” We’ll brother and sister the someone is YOU!


The only hope is for you younger sportsmen and women to get involved. I don’t mean attend a meeting every once in awhile, or even joining an organization and saying they’ll fight for me, I mean involved with both feet! Sure you have a job, and family and a million other reasons to sit on the sideline, but so did we old guys when we first started. A lot of us long time activist are gone…time has caught up to us. What’s missing is the young, enthusiastic and passionate fishermen or fisherwoman who will take the torch.

NOTHING and I mean NOTHING will reverse the slide downhill so long as the only thing people do is complain!

It’s time to step up, time to become part of the solution. I will not give you false hope. The powerbroker’s that you are up against are strong, and well funded, but if you have the guts to fight for what you believe is right, there’s room for you on this side.

Pick a cause, make it yours, get organized and start digging in, but do something, time is running out!

How'd the meeting go?

BAy wolf -

I agree that complacency/apathy in the recreational angling community (especially those interested in fisheries directed towards anadromous species) is a killer! However that apathy is compounded by the inability of that community to get on the same page. It seems that folks have a hard time looking pass their next fishing trip or their own favorite fishery.

Our collectively inability to look at the bigger picture and/or to take developing issues proactively all but guarantees the future holds nothing but declining opportunities.

Curt

Those who are currently dictating the fisheries are counting on that "collective inability" to continue their agenda. How does the phrase go? "Divide and conquer."

That's exactly why it is VITAL that the "few" leaders out there, stand up and start the fight...if the masses see that there is hope, perhaps they will shake off the fog and see what is at stake.

The result of inaction is more of the same, and everyone can see where that's going.

I agree with what Smalma said. After all, recs have a lot more numbers and spending power than the "other guys." If we could just agree to tackle the elephant, one bite at a time and in an organized fashion, we could turn the tables. Trouble is, just as in politics, we're too hung up on our personal agendas to agree on any action for the greater good. Instead, those of us who are willing create groups that work alone to try and tackle pet issues. They end up competing, and it paints the picture of disunity our managers have come to rely on to uphold the status quo.

I'm still involved, and like Bay Wolf, I think the younger generations need to step up to the plate, but for sure, we do step on each other's toes far too much to be effective. It's a real shame.

I think Bay Wolf sums it up well. It's more than planning/attending banquets or going to a meeting and buying some tickets for the downrigger raffle. It's sustained work. The only time that I have seen it happen in person, is with the crab allocation. Many people contributed time and effort to that effort but there was a core group that planned, analyzed and mobilized efforts in an impressive way. It's something I'd like to see again.

Actually, if we all went to the same banquet and kicked down a buck or two on the downrigger raffle, we'd have some serious traction when we showed up at the Legislature. But you're right; the way we're doing it now, where a few groups make small donations to a few campaigns, it really just amounts to giving our money to campaigns for nothing.

So, I'm curious...whats the beef? Like fly fishing groups refusing to work with anyone who chucks guts to catch fish? IS that seriously the issue?

Pet issues?

I see the issue really being guys who want hatacheires (I would venture to say the vast majority of us) or those who would rather shut down systems for a clerical error (like WFC).

The real reason is probably closer to what was already said, we'd rather not cancel our fishing days to go to a meeting.

Naw. It's just like politics. People vote on pet issues, not the big picture. Your example of the hatcheries vs. No hatcheries debate is a good one. You also mentioned in-fighting over gear restrictions, fishing from boats, limiting guides... You know, the stuff we always discuss but seldom all agree on. The bottom line is that we all want more fish; we just can't seem to agree on anything beyond that. As such, a lot of us contribute to campaigns to get what we want (via our organizations of choice), but it's all in small chunks and in support of differing, often conflicting ideas. Great for the campaign; not so fruitful for the lobbying interest.

The commercial guys have the same bottom line, a simple, unified position, and wealthy corporations contributing on their behalf. Not hard to imagine how one large donation, all toward a unified purpose, trumps all the smaller, often mutually exclusive ones.

PSA and CCA have joined forces on legislation in recent years, and that's reason for hope, because together, their memberships add up to a number worthy of attention. I'd say if you want your money to do some talking on your behalf, those would be among the best places to invest it, but until a lot more anglers join in, we probably won't see a lot of change.

This all ignores Tribal lobbying, which has been much more prevalent and influential in recent years and may well be more powerful than the NT commercial lobby.... The cards (or should I say bills?) are stacked against us....

You guys bring some very good points to the table. It would be so much easier if there were a "Recreational Fisheries Union" where we could pay dues and then have a powerful lobby. Pipe dream, yes.

The fact that we are the largest, most financially beneficial stakeholder has little impact so long as we are fragmentarily organized.

There is methods to effect change. Social media can play a large part. For example, our petition for open meetings in the North of Falcon process. It has been able to reach thousands of sportsmen and women.

Much of the issues in our fisheries are due in large part because the average guy just isn't informed. Most don't dig into things, because they just don't know about them. Again, take the North of Falcon issue for example. When we were passing out flyers at the Sportsmen show, it was amazing how many people had no idea what North of Falcon even was. Of course, it's only the most important process in fisheries management and impacts every angler in the state. But guys just didn't know. Once educated, they were amazed at how damaging secrets meetings can be.

I encourage all you young leaders out there. Don't get discouraged. YOU CAN AND MUST make a difference. Be creative, use all the tools you have available. If you don't want to be part of solution, you become part of the problem. Our fisheries NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP. Without young activists fighting for our fish and our sport, we are both destined for the museum.

THIS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

There is no denying that apathy runs strong in the rec community. That's not to say that some folks don't have the best of intentions and aspirations to participate. They do. But the problem more often than not is that it's simply lip service. I've seen it time and again where folks say,

"Damn... I wish I would have known about that meeting. I would have attended."

"Damn... If I'da only known sooner, I could have planned to be there"

"Damn.... That meeting's on a weekday, I ain't takin' time off work to attend some stupid meeting."

Yes, meetings are inconvenient. Yes, life gets in the way. Yes, I get it. But in the end, they're all just excuses. The guys that place REAL value in this lifestyle we call sportfishing are the ones that WILL be there.

How do I know?

Because after 2 decades of attending those very meetings, I see the same dedicated faces there year after year after year. The same committed handful of guys doing the heavy lifting for the other 99% "sportsmen".

But as Bay Wolf said, the old guard is getting... well... OLD! The battle for rec opportunity is constant and never-ending. There are factions waiting to pounce at every opportunity to take it away. Victories, though sweet, are hard won after many years of trying. Nothing comes easy, nor does any new idea (no matter how good or sensible it is for the resource) happen the first go 'round.

It takes TIME and DEDICATION to keep hammering away at critical issues before prudent action is taken by our commission... and even longer still to get final implementation on the ground by WDFW staff. Then there's the constant battle to actually hold their feet to the fire on commission policy.

The guys doing the heavy lifting are slowly getting worn out, jaded by the years (decades?) of seeming inaction or outright malfeasance on the part of the agency. We need a constant infusion of young blood not just to lighten their load and spread the burden of advocacy, but also to bring fresh ideas forward or figure out better strategies to move the needle in favor of the sportsman.

I'll tell it straight to anyone that's thinking about getting involved. There is NEVER a convenient time to join the effort. There are a hundred other excuses to just throw your hands in the air in disgust... "not for me"
"not MY problem"
"someone else gets paid to fix this $h!t"
The list goes on and on and on....

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But if you TRULY value the way this piscatorial pursuit has enriched your life, you OWE it to the resource to give a little back.

Think about it.... and COMMIT to rolling your sleeves up and getting dirty.

Many great posts in this thread.
Alot of reasons for declining fisheries. When someone works hard on a issue it's so easy to Naysay. There are 97 other issues and you think "X" is more important.
Problem is we end up arguing with ourselves and get nothing done.
We are losing battles on almost all fronts.

We need a slogan for the sporty. " Black mouth lives matter"

Any others come to mind.

A slogan is a great idea, but finding one that can unite everyone from the blackmouth guys, bank plunkers, 16-year-olds, 80-year-olds, fly fisherman, plug pullers, etc, etc, is going to be tough to find. But that is what it will take to get everyone under the same flag. The bigger the pool of anglers that feel included the better the chance that you'll get the few folks you need to do the heavy lifting.

"Black mouth lives matter" doesn't do much for the guy that wants to fish searun cutts.

That is something we learned with Occupy Skagit. Although mainly spearheaded by fly fishermen, gear anglers showed up to our events because they were included in the regulations we supported.

You're right, crafting a slogan that would appeal to the masses would be almost impossible to come up with. I was being some what facetious with "Black mouth lives matter"

How about this....

WE FISH
------- and ------
WE VOTE

Bingo! While making fishing great again.

According to a public record request this past February, in fiscal year 2016 there was 1,525,780 recreational fishing and 607,849 game hunting licenses/endorsements/ tags/ etc… and yes we outdoor recreational enthusiasts do vote and represent a very nice chunk of the electorate in this state.

There is an interesting take on having sporties support "Blackmouth Live Matter".

The Black Lives Matter is about keeping them (blacks) alive. Sporties want to stop the killing of black mouth? Personally, that is the first step to meaningful Chinook and Killer Whale restoration but I am not sure that was what was meant.

The first step to fixing this is to vote for people who care instead of people that only care about who to smooze for the money to get reelected.
We ( the people of Washington) just showed on Tuesday that nothing will change and will probably get much worse with one party rule in Olympia .
We are toast my friends and no amount of meetings is going to fix it as long as the people at the top could careless what we think . If we the sportsmen had the money to buy politicians and judges this state would have world class in hunting and fishing opportunity.
If I remember correctly when the tribes decided to start shellfish harvest on the tide lands in front of the doctors ,lawyers and politicians waterfront homes it took about 30 days before they put a stop to that .Why is it taking years to go no place when it has to do with private citizens? who by the way pay the bill.
Just think how good it could be if the tribes were to run guide services on the rivers to make a living instead of raping the river for the few thousand a year they make off killing the runs . It would however require getting up in the morning and going to work .