Thank you for contacting me. I agree that our fisheries management is in a state of decline and largely ruled by commercial fishing interests. Since I come from a political background, (having worked for a state senator, testifiying at the state and national level, etc.) I can tell you that the fisheries management issue is 90% political and 10% biology. In this specific case, you have a small private interest group (commercials) that are very well organized and fairly well funded dictating the fisheries management of the Columbia River, etc. They are extremely well connected politically with legislators in the coastal communities who strongly support their agenda. The commercials focus heavily on the economic angle (distressed community-need to feed the family & support the community, etc) to support their agenda to control the allocations. Sportsfishing interests truly have no one to blame but themselves. For years, sportsfishing interests have fought among themselves or shown complete apathy to the political process. As a result, you find the situation we are in today where a small minority group of 150 individuals can control the fisheries as they now exist. Sportsfishing POTENTIALLY represents one of the largest, if not the largest, political action committee in the Pacific Northwest. However, this potential will only be realized with a well organized group that packs the political clout and funding necessary to force changes in the Northwest. Believe me, legislators & commissioners will listen to a sportsfishing interests that can deliver several hundred thousand votes and contribute thousands of dollars to specific campaigns. That is the lifeblood of politicians. So, our goal is to do the following:

1.) Develop a single well organized group that represents only sportsfishing interests.
2.) Develop a large enough voting block with this group to make legislators and commissioners take notice.
3.) Raise enough funding to support candidates that are pro-sportsfishing.
4.) Partner with those organizations that have enough mutual interests to agree with our platform.

The solution to this problem is relatively easy, it is the plan execution that is difficult. Hopefully, sportsfishing interests have received the message that if they do not become part of the solution by attending these meetings, that they are part of the problem. The cathlamet meeting attendance will go a long ways in proving whether sportsfishing interests will follow through or whether the vancouver meeting was a one time "flash in the pan" and things will revert back to status quo. Only with a powerful, well organized sportsfishing lobby will the back door allocation deals, etc. go away. I plan on attending the cathlamet meeting.

Thanks, Clint

Clint Page
President and CEO
Dotster, Inc.
11807 NE 99th St.
Suite 1100
Vancouver, WA 98682

During a meeting held Wednesday in Vancouver, sports fishermen called for reducing or eliminating gillnetting -- and no commercial fishermen testified.

Sportsfishing POTENTIALLY
represents one of the largest, if not the largest, political
action committee in the Pacific Northwest. However, this
potential will only be realized with a well organized group that
packs the political clout and funding necessary to force changes
in the Northwest.

OREGON AND WASHINGTON DEPARTMENTS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
JOINT STAFF REPORT - FALL FACT SHEET NO. 14
Columbia River Compact
October 10, 2005

Fisheries Under Consideration: Non-Indian mainstem commercial
Non-Indian Select Areas
Treaty-Indian commercial
MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Management guidelines, allocations, and run size forecasts for the 2005 fall season were presented in the 2005 Fall Fact Sheets #1 and #10.
STOCK STATUS
Steelhead and Fall Chinook
• The TAC updated the Steelhead run size to 295,800 compared to the pre-season forecast of 293,300 steelhead at Bonneville Dam. Group A index includes 247,600 steelhead (58,000 wild) and Group B index includes 48,200 steelhead (9,500 wild).
• The TAC updated the Chinook river mouth run size to 584,800 adults. The Upriver Bright forecast increased slightly to 293,400 adults.
Fall Chinook Adult Returns to the Columbia River Mouth
2004 2005 Preseason 2005 TAC Update
Stock Return Forecast 15-Sep 20-Sep 26-Sep 03-Oct 10-Oct
LRH 108,900 78,400 78,400 78,400 78,400 78,400 78,400
LRW 22,300 21,400 21,400 21,400 21,400 21,400 21,400
BPH 175,300 115,800 95,000 104,400 101,000 102,500 102,500
URB 363,500 354,600 280,000 280,000 283,200 293,100 293,400
MCB 121,900 89,700 76,700 78,700 76,500 77,600 77,600
SAB 7,100 11,500 11,500 11,500 11,500 11,500 11,500
Total 799,000 671,400 563,000 574,400 572,000 584,500 584,800
• Chinook returns to lower Columbia hatcheries appear to be on track overall.
Coho
• Preseason expectations total 206,400 coho returning to the Columbia River mouth, including 178,200 early coho and 28,200 late coho.
• Both early and late runs appear to be tracking slightly ahead of pre-season forecast.
• Bonneville Dam counts through October 9 total nearly 71,700 adult coho. The Bonneville Dam passage expectation of 60,300 coho has been achieved. Beginning October 1, coho passing Bonneville Dam are considered late stock.
• Sandy River wild coho passage over Marmot Dam typically peaks in October. A total of 11 adults have passed Marmot Dam through September 30.
• Through October 3 a total of 670 adult early wild stock coho have passed North Fork Dam on the Clackamas River. Early stock adult coho passage is typically 50% complete by September 27.
• Hatchery returns for early coho are varied but appear to be on track.
2005 Early Stock Coho Returns
Escapement
Returns As of: Pre-season projection In-season projection Goal Comments
Grays H. 800 05-Oct 925 1,000 1,300 On track to meet goal
Elochoman H. 802 05-Oct 750 1,600 800 On track to meet goal
Kalama H. 400 05-Oct 1,800 1,100 500 On track to meet goal
Toutle H. 1,752 05-Oct 6,950 7,000 800 On track to meet goal
Lewis H. 7,752 05-Oct 5,050 12,000 1,600 On track to meet goal
Total Washington 11,506 15,475 22,700 5,000

Big Creek H. 4,553 07-Oct NA 700 Goal achieved
Eagle Creek NFH 2,000 07-Oct NA 3,300
Sandy H. nya 03-Oct NA 1,200 Fish in system
Bonneville H. 16,658 06-Oct NA 5,100 Goal achieved
Total Oregon 20,317 NA 10,300
Bonneville Dam 63,557 30-Sep 60,300 -- Goal achieved

2005 Late Stock Coho Returns
Escapement
Returns As of: Pre-season projection In-season projection Goal Comments
Elochoman H. 280 837 Likely short of goal
Cowlitz H. 4,640 05-Oct 7,000 4,200
Kalama H. 430 670 Likely short of goal
Lewis H. 4,300 3,260
Washougal 780 750 Likely short of goal
Total Washington 4,640 12,790 9,717
Bonneville Dam 8,150 Oct 1-9 -- -- --

FISHERY UPDATES
Recreational Fisheries
• The Buoy 10 fishery (Columbia mouth upstream to the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line) opened Aug 1 for Chinook and hatchery coho. The fishery closed for the retention of Chinook effective October 1, but remains open for hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho.
• Buoy 10 catch estimates through September 25 include 54,000 anglers, 9,200 Chinook and 6,900 coho. Preseason expectations included a Chinook catch of 12,400 (3,200 URBs) and 12,900 coho.
• The mainstem Columbia River from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam opened for chinook and fin-clipped coho on August 1. Retention of Chinook was prohibited effective September 18, but the fishery remains open for hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead.
• Lower Columbia River catch estimates include 74,000 anglers, 17,500 Chinook and 420 coho kept through September. Preseason catch expectations included 16,600 Chinook (10,000 URBs) and 700 coho.
• The Zone 6 sport fishery opened August 1 from Bonneville Dam to Hwy. 395 near Pasco, Washington. Most fishing activity occurs near tributary mouths. Retention of Chinook was prohibited effective October 1, but the fishery remains open for coho and hatchery steelhead.
• The Zone 6 sport fishery harvested an estimated 900 Chinook (770 URBs) prior to the closure. Preseason catch expectations included 1,700 Chinook (1,400 URBs) and 1,300 coho.
Non-Indian Mainstem Commercial Fisheries
• The early fall season consisted of eight fishing periods occurring during August 4-26 resulting in landings of 11,430 Chinook (3,934 URBs), 87 coho and 2,094 sturgeon. Preseason expectations included 13,130 Chinook (3,470 URBs)
• Preseason expectations for September Chinook and coho fisheries included a harvest of 20,310 Chinook (10,330 URBs) and 25,000 coho. October expectations included 650 Chinook (200 URBs) and 2,000 coho
• The late fall season is still under way, with 12 fishing periods occurring between September 19-October 7.
Late Fall Non-Indian Commercial Fishery Landings, 2005
White Green
Dates Deliveries Chinook Coho Sturgeon Sturgeon
Sept 19-21 209 4,844 8,893 193 1
Sept 20-21 170 2708 5,270 149 1
Sept 22-23 180 2,811 6,102 354 7
Wk 39 10,363 20,265 696 9

Sept 26-27 162 1,748 2,995 941 5
Sept 28-29 129 1,507 2,651 762 5
Wk 40 3,255 5,646 1,703 10

Sept 5-6 132 1,191 4,394 123 0
Sept 6-7 31 450 220 34
Wk 41 (preliminary) 1,641 4,614 157 0
Total 15,259 30,525 2,556 19


Select Area Commercial Fisheries
• The Youngs Bay Select Area fishery is currently open seven days per week through the end of October and four nights per week through October 28 in the other Select Areas.
• Select Area landings to date are above preseason expectations, with total Select Area landings consisting of 8,700 Chinook, 63,900 coho and 65 sturgeon. Expected landings for 2005 total 12,500 Chinook and 50,000 coho.
Sturgeon Harvest
• Through October 7, 6,906 white sturgeon have been landed in mainstem and Select Area commercial fisheries leaving 1,277 (includes 183 from 2003-04) available for harvest during the remainder of 2005.
Treaty Indian Commercial Salmon Fishery
• Six weekly fishing periods were adopted in all of Zone 6 during August 22 through September 30.
• Projected treaty-Indian harvest rates to URB Chinook total 20.9%, or 91% of the Treaty Indian allocation.
• Projected treaty-Indian harvest rates to wild Group B steelhead total 12%, or 83% of the Treaty allocation.
2005 Total Treaty-Indian Landings
Dates Chinook URB Steelhead Wild B Coho
August Platform 563 492 3,399 198 0
Commercial
Aug 22-26 3,859 363 1,218 74 11
Aug 31-Sep 3 10,035 6,254 930 65 72
Sep 7-10 36,628 23,156 1,507 91 883
Sep 13-17 37,996 16,775 2,776 291 1,350
Sep 19-23 16,927 8,329 3,300 291 1,514
Sep 28-30 6,657 6,011 1,166 171 784
Commercial Total 112,102 60,888 10,897 983 4,614
Total 112,665 61,380 14,296 1,181 4,614


Impacts Summary
Summary of Fishery Impacts During Fall of 2005
Pre-Season Chinook URB Impacts
Fishery Chinook Catch No. %
Treaty Indian Fisheries
August C&S 563 492 0.17%
Commercial through Sep 30 112,102 60,888 20.75%
Treaty Indian Total 167,541 112,665 61,380 20.92%

Non-Indian Fisheries
Buoy 10 Sport (Proj Total) 12,400 9,210 2,239 0.76%
LCR Sport through Sep 17 16,600 17,465 10,379 3.54%
Zone 6 Sport (Proj. Total) 1,700 900 770 0.26%
Sport Total 30,700 27,575 13,388 4.56%

Early August Commercial 5,800 4,707 94 0.03%
Mid-Late August Commercial 7,300 6,723 3,839 1.31%
Select Area Commercial (Proj. Total) 11,000 10,740 510 0.17%
September Chinook/Coho 20,300 13,512 4,328 1.48%
October Commercial Fisheries (Proj. Total) 700 1,641 465 0.16%
Commercial Total 45,100 37,323 9,236 3.15%

Non-Indian Total 75,800 64,898 22,624 7.71%
Remaining non-Indian URB impacts 5,359 1,505 0.54%
URB run Size 293,400 8.25%

FISHERY PROPOSALS
Recommendation
The Joint Staff recommends adoption of the following commercial salmon fishing periods for the mainstem Columbia River:
Season: 7AM Tuesday October 11 to 7AM Wednesday October 12
7AM Thursday October 13 to 7AM Friday October 14 (24 hours)
(24 hours)
Area: Zones 1-5
Sanctuaries: Elokomin-A, Abernathy, Cowlitz, Kalama-A, Lewis-A, Sandy and Washougal rivers
Gear: 9-inch minimum mesh size
Allowable Sales: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of 10 sturgeon may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The sturgeon possession and sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries.
Miscellaneous Rules: Quick Reporting Rules will be in effect for Washington buyers.
• Expected catch includes <2,500 Chinook, <100 coho, and 1,000-1,200 white sturgeon.
Select Area Commercial
Recommendation
The Joint Staff recommends the sturgeon limit for all Select Areas is adjusted to match the sturgeon limit adopted for the mainstem commercial fisheries.
Treaty Indian Recommendation
Recommendation
The Joint Staff recommends discontinuing sales of platform and hook and line caught fish in Zone 6 effective 6PM Wednesday October 12, 2005

Recommendation
The Joint Staff recommends opening the Dalles pool for sturgeon setline effective 6AM Wednesday Oct 12 through Dec 24 or until further notice.

Future Compact Hearings
• A Columbia River Compact hearing is recommended for 3:00 PM, Monday October 17, 2005 via teleconference to discuss salmon stock status and consider additional non-Indian commercial fishing periods.