Channel 7 crab coverage

Did anybody else catch the minute or so of crab coverage on the 6 pm(or so) news. It basically said that sportsman had overharvested so their season had to be curtailed because of fears it may impact commercial season. It was the biggest bunch of propaganda I've seen in a LONG time.

Jerry, where and how did they get that info? What a bunch of crap. Man this is ridiculous. There was hardly any keeper crabs left when it was opened for us last year.

I didn't see it but it sounds like they got an earfull of $hit from the WDFW. Still not quite sure how they can come up with any numbers they have confidence in publishing to the media when they themselves have admitted that the data isn't accurate and only estimates and assumptions.

Oregon, here I come.

the fish and game dept people of washington state need a big kick in the balls and then a final kick in the ass

Pretty clever marketing by WDFW....First they come out with their new program to blame all this crabbing problem on the recs and they are smart enough to get it on the news before our next meeting. Once again we look greedy

I have been trying to contact KIRO to see if we cant get our side on the news. So far, all i get is recorede messages. Anyone got a number that a real person will answer?

PM me if you like

Dave,

KIRO7 input

Not a real person, but sometimes written info is better. We (PSA Sno-King) are pursuing this as well.

I saw that disgusting one-sided piece of crap last night. Ruined my appetite for dinner. Looked to be provided to KIRO by WDFW to set-up the sportsmen for the upcoming screw-job.

Here is what I sent them:

Your piece last night on recreational crabbing was quite disturbing. Was that provided to you by WDFW?

Did you know that 150,000 recreational crabbers only get 16% of the crab from inland waters and about 3% of the overall State harvest? The allocation split is extremely unfair and bad for the State economy as sport crabbing produces much more money per pound of crab than commercial harvest. The State has always had a very strong bias toward commercial crabbers and fishermen and against sportsmen. Please contact me for more info.

Are you still headed to the coast this weekend?

Did you try the Kiro Newstips?

KIRO/SeattleInsider.com
2807 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: (206) 728-7777

Maybe a rally in front of the Kiro 7 building with boats in tow to get the sportsman side heard is in order. Show WDFW that if they won't listen were going to take it public and get everyone else in the state to at least be aware of whats going on.

Classic case of vindictive policy of WDFW and its leader in crime.

One response that has already come along is HB 2286 that was introduced in the House today. The bill will reduce the endorsement fee to $1.50, put the funds into a dedicated account, and make the change immediate should the bill pass. Don't get too excited, the bill won't get through this session. It is more of an attention getter for WDFW (the sponsors are the Chair and Vice-Chair of House Natural Resources and the Chair of House Capital Budget). However, should WDFW staff continue down the wrong road it very well could get overwhelming support during the 2006 session.

We the anglers have been willing in the past to self-tax to assist WDFW in increasing opportunity for our fisheries. Due to their resistance, vindictiveness, and lack of rational thought in dealing with the crab issue the recreational angler needs a refund!

While I would never advocate poaching it's sounding like the recreational fishers need to just go out and soak pots en mass state wide on a particular Saturday right next to the commercial and tribal pots during our winter/spring closure as a protest. Dump the crab back and let em write tickets. In fact report back the number of legal sized males caught and released on that one day.

Hello,

My name is J.R. Rogers and I was moved to write this letter to you after watching the story you aired last night. It was very upsetting to see that a station with KIRO’s reputation, air a piece that was more propaganda that FACT. The story you aired, unfairly portrayed impact the recreational crabbers are having on the Puget Sound Dungeness crabbing resources. This story had very misleading and incorrect information about the crabbing situation in the State of Washington and that information is miss-taken as fact by many of your viewers. This is VERY damaging to use recreational crabbers & fisherman, at a time when we are working very hard to just maintain our minimal access to this resource.

The crabbing piece stated that the recreational crabbers are to blame for the reduced allocation and stock for the treasured Puget Sound Dungeness crabs. I would have expected the person(s) preparing this piece to research this matter and make sure that this is truly the case.

If they had done any research, they would have found out that the recreational crabber has the least impact on the Puget Sound crab harvest and virtually no impact in the total overall Dungeness Crab harvest in the State of Washington. Of the THREE main user groups, (The Tribes, The Commercial’s and the Recreational Crabbers), that share the harvestable quota for Dungeness crab the recreational crabber are the largest user group with the least % of allocation.

The FACT is the recreational crabber is allocated only 3% of the total state harvest and just 16% of the Puget Sound Harvest despite the fact the fact we have a over 800 times more licensed crabbers than the commercials and have a much great positive economic impact to the economy per pound of crab harvested.

There are over 150,000 State of Washington licensed recreational crabbers, I am one of those, and only 250 commercial crabbing licenses. These 250 commercial licenses are held by 181 commercial crab fishers, those 181 PERSONS receive 34% of the Puget Sound harvestable allocation and 48% of the States total harvestable Dungeness crab allocation.


The WDFW and it’s commission, have and continues to be very biased to the commercial fisheries and unethical in their allocation of OUR resources they are entrusted with. The Recreational Crabbers & Fishermen have and continue to discuss, reason, protest and even plea with the WDFW Commission to re-allocate the resources in a fair and equitable percentages. The fact is the WDFW has not changed, we have asked, the crabbing allocation percentages for the last NINE years, even thou the population of the state has nearly doubled since then. Even when a Federally mandated court order gives the Commission very clear explicate percentage allocation of the sustainable and harvestable to distribute between the user groups, the recreational user group often finds it self on the short end of the stick/allocation.

I would like to see KIRO correct some the damage cause to the recreational fishing group. One of the ways KIRO can right the wrong is to do a story, a well research story that would have all the facts pertaining to the crabbing situation. The are Two groups that represent the greater recreational fisherman in the Puget Sound, the PSA ( Puget Sound Anglers ) and the RFA ( Recreational Fishing Alliance ). These organizations are for the education and preservation of the recreational fisherman. I would recommend that you contact either or both of the presidents for the PSA & RFA. They are fully aware of the crabbing situation as is stands now in the State of Washington and could provide you with accurate and knowledgeable information regarding this matter.

Washington State PSA President
Steve Sande

SSANDE1@aol.com


RFA Washington State Chairman
Mike Gilchrist
thinker@gamefishin.com

RFA Washington State Vice-Chairman
Clint Muns
Fishhog211@aol.com


Sincerely,

J.R. Rogers
Everett WA
425-754-3934



I thought you might also like to know the true economic impact the Washington sportsmen have in the great State of Washington

Hunters 227000
Anglers 938,000
Total Expenditures $1.4 billion

Total Jobs 23000
Salaries and Wages $600 million
State Tax Revenue $95 million

Ripple Effect on the State Economy $2.41 billion

STATE TAX REVENUE INFORMATION
Sportsmen in Washington annually pay $95.2 million in state sales and fuel taxes – this could pay 2,471 teachers’ salaries or fund the annual education expenses for 14,650 students.

JOBS
Sportsmen support more jobs in Washington than Microsoft Corporation
(22,766 vs. 20,000).


TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

Twice as many Washington residents hunt or fish each year as attend Seattle Seahawk games (1.02 million* vs. 508,367).

One out of every six Washington residents hunt or fish.

Washington sportsmen annually spend 10 times more than the value of the state’s commercial seafood landings ($1.4 billion vs. $134 million).

Washington sportsmen annually spend nearly twice as much as the cash receipts from the state’s apple crop ($1.4 billion vs. $806 million).

* The figure for sportsmen is less than the combined number of hunters and anglers because a respondent who is both a hunter and an angler is counted in each category above


FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
THE CONGRESSIONAL SPORTSMENS FOUNDATION @ (202) 543-6850

Our PSA State President just spoke with Jay Johnson from KIRO TV just now and he basically recited the WDFW company line which is that the sports sector has doubled in size and that our catch has doubled.



Please write MR Johnson and voice your concerns with his facts or lack of them in the story that aired last night

jjohnson@kirotv.com

Come on guys. We are just beginning to show out srtrength. Let's keep it up. How about someone running this over to the other boards too?

I have been talking to a newspaper reporter who seem interested in our story.

My letter.

Mr. Johnson. I must take exception to the report last night about recreational crabbing. Several important aspects of that report are erroneous. I suspect you simply reported what the WDFW told you, but the truth is not as they seem to believe.

The truth is recreational crabbers have had their season cut dramatically. Last year our seasons were less than 1/2 of previous years. For the department to state that we have taken more than our share of crabs is complete nonsense.

Beginning in May of 2004, recreational crabbers began completing catch record cards that will, eventually, provide hard date on the actual sport catch. However, at this time there is no way to accurately estimate the sport catch. Because the license required to take crabs is also used by those who dig clams and pick oysters, there is no way to know what percentage of license holders went crabbing, nor is there any way to estimate their success. (Last year we had several razor clam digs that had huge participation. Every one of those diggers had a shellfish license, but many never tried crabbing.)

I do know from many anecdotal reports that most recrational crabbers gave up early in the season, as there were no crabs to be found. Why? Because the commercial season was open well before the sport season. By the time we were allowed on the water, the crabs were long gone. It makes no sense to dramatically cut the sport catch with absolutely no solid data on our catch rates.

Please take the time to investigate this issue thoroughly, and then report the facts. Your viewers deserve no less.

Cordially,

Dave Vedder

Nice points Dave !!!!!

Media outlets love to tattle on each other when they screw up.

This is a great opportunity to bring this to the attention of the powers at 4, 5, at 13 and let them discuss the situation with the real facts.

BOYCOTT CHANNEL 7

I called Jay Johnson today to get to the bottom of his news story. I identified myself to the KIRO news desk and was immediately connected to Jay's cell phone (didn't have to dial it)...that was surprising. He was out somewhere getting ready for a live interview but took about 15 minutes to discuss his story with me.

Right away I told him his story was not accurate. He bristled at that accusation and went on to defend it as taken from an "official" WDFW news release. I told him that just because it was an official WDFW news release didn't mean it was the truth and nothing but the truth. I told him that he should have checked his information with other sources and that he should go back and do some homework.

As I mentioned the names of WDFW officials he seemed to be "friends" with most of them. So it may not be an accident that the spin doctors at WDFW leaked the news release to him. In any case, the premise of the story was that the recreational sector had overharvested by a factor of double taking share away from the commercial crabbers. In other words the sports crabbers are the problem and they are the ones who need to be reigned in. WOW I said. No kidding? That is what you think the problem is?

I went on to explain that the sports crabber population has doubled in census in the last 9 years but our quota or piece of the pie has stayed the same. We did not catch twice as many crab as we were allowed to with our abbreviated seasons in 2004. There were just twice as many crabbers out trying to catch the same amount of crab we were looking for in 1996. Back then the sports sector was not able to harvest our 16% in Puget Sound so the allocation remained 36% commercial and 16% sport with the other 50% going to the tribes. Include the crab harvested off the coast outrside of Puget Sound and the sports percentage of the catch drops to a mere 3%.

He echoed another WDFW mantra and that is they want to know what it is we think would be fair. I told him that was simple. We want a 50% share of the non-tribal allocation or 25% share instead of the 16% we have now. Even at that our contribution to the economy is huge by comaprison to the 181 commercial crabber's contribution.

The sports sector does not want to stop commercial crabbing we just want a fair allocation. I suspect that many other news outlets will be given a chance to report on the "whole story".

Your war paint is showing again

Oh, I'm sorry... too much humor for you???

Just following your lead, gramps.

Likewise.....just keeping the joke going a bit

So after your discussion with him did it sound like he might put together another story?

Just threw my jab to the chin...

Mr. Johnson,

As a religious viewer of KIRO 7 news for many years, I am upset and deeply concerned at the nonfactual "crabber allocation" story that aired the other evening. With the strong reputation KIRO has held, I am in shock that such nonsense was even air without research or comment from the sportspersons of our great state.

There is no need for me to point out factual numbers. Surely you have received numerous emails already with accurate and/or detailed facts from us "sporties." It is time to research and correct your story with facts and not propaganda hearsay from our corrupt WDFW. If KIRO cannot live up to it's reputation as an accurate source of media, I am forced to move to a reliable, yet truthful station.

Respectfully,

John Abbott
Lakebay, Washington

Jeez, I cannot believe the shoot the messenger mentality you guys have. Here's the REAL STORY on the KIRO story, and believe me, I know. KIRO got the story from the Skagit Valley Herald, pasted below.

The story came from a WDFW press release. They (WDFW) are meeting Saturday morning to talk about severely limiting recreational crab harvest in Puget Sound, because of what THEY (not KIRO!) says is severe overharvest.

The WDFW is going to set these rules, KIRO was simply reporting what the WDFW is considering, as did the Skagit Valley Herald.

The media's job is to let the public know about things like this, seems to me the Skagit Valley paper and KIRO did a pretty good job. And you guys want to picket them? What the hell?!
Seems pretty obvious who your beef is with.

State may cut into crab seasons
By Denny Church

Denny Church
The Fish & Wildlife Commission will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Natural Resources Building in Olympia.

Among the items on the agenda is a briefing on strategies for cutting the recreational crab harvest in Puget Sound.

According to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife news release, the recreational harvest has doubled in less than a decade and "has cut into the share of the harvest reserved for commercial and tribal fisheries in each of the past four seasons. In some areas of Puget Sound there's so much gear on the water that we can't shut the fishery down fast enough to keep the recreational harvest within its harvest guidelines."

Reduced recreational bag limits, delayed openings, and fishing fewer days a week are being considered.

WDFW marine resources manager Morris Barker said, "The situation varies from one area of Puget Sound to another, so we're not looking for a ‘one-size-fits-all management solution."

Public comment periods will be included at the meeting. Or you can contact the commission via e-mail at commission@dfw.wa.gov.

Another commission meeting devoted solely to the crab allocation issue will be held at 9 a.m. on May 14 at the Tyee Center in Tumwater.
Leque Island hunting ban proposed

The WDFW, the Snohomish County executive, Senator Mary Margaret Haugen and former governor Gary Locke were handed a homeowners petition to ban hunting on the Leque Island-Smith Farm public hunting site between Stanwood and Camano Island.

A public meeting on this topic has been scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 9 at Stanwood Middle School.

The petition claims hunting in the fields near State Highway 532 is a danger to motorists, that it disturbs the peace and tranquility of the surrounding area and that the shotgun blasts are disruptive to game and non-game species resting on Port Susan and south Skagit Bay.

The WDFW pheasant release site on Fir Island will soon be converted to salmon and waterfowl habitat.

If hunting is banned at Leque Island, the nearest pheasant release site will be north of Bellingham.

Pheasant release sites are popular with older hunters who are no longer able to make long trips to the Columbia Basin.

A similar homeowner effort to ban hunting on a portion of Whidbey Island is also underway.

If you attend the meeting, keep your comments constructive. If you are unable to attend, comments can be directed to WDFW Region Four Resource Manager Bob Everitt.

Schlab,

I am not shooting the messenger, I am questioning the messengers intent of why he only reported a small part of the whole story. I have been lead to believe that a reporter should report the WHOLE story, unbiased with all the information so the mass public can understand the TRUE picture of the situation and form their own opinion.

You are telling me that Mr. Jay Johnson from KIRO basically plagiarized the story that ran in the Skagit Valley Herald, Quote “ Here's the REAL STORY on the KIRO story, and believe me, I know. KIRO got the story from the Skagit Valley Herald, pasted below. The story came from a WDFW press release. They (WDFW) are meeting Saturday morning to talk about severely limiting recreational crab harvest in Puget Sound, because of what THEY (not KIRO!) says is severe over harvest.” End quote

If that is what you as truly saying, what a pi$$ poor job Mr. Johnson did and it aired on one of are leading MAJOR TV news stations, that hurts.

I then ask why Mr. Johnson doesn’t follow publications like the Seattle Times, report Mark Yuasa and the Seattle P.I. , reporter Greg Johnson. In their stories you can see that they did their research and reported BOTH sides or the whole story.
A great example would be the reports they published about the over catch by the Makah. They made sure that their readers would come away with a much better grasp of the WHOLE story good or bad, as any good reporter, of any media type should.

The fact is if you watched KIRO’s story, you would have come away believing that recreational crabbing is at fault for harvesting too many crabs. When that fact is the WDFW have mis-allocated the crab harvest for many years and are unwilling to even consider righting their wrong.

The FACT recreational crabbers are CURRENLTY allowed ONLY, under the direction of the same persons “WDFW”, who supplied the miss-information bulletin and is the only piece of information KIRO chose to use, 3% of the Washington State total harvestable crab allocation. In the Puget Sound crab allocation the recreational crabber receives a whopping 16% of the total.

The FACT is over a 150,000 individual licensed recreational shell fishermen are FORCED to split 16% of the Puget Sound crab harvest, while 181 individual commercially licensed shell fishermen are allowed to share 34% of the Puget Sound crab harvest. Another fact that is obscure to most is that while a recreational crabber can only have ONE license at a time the commercial crabber can have multiple licenses. This explains the fact that there are 250 commercial Puget Sound licenses issued and only 181 owners.

There is even more to this story, much more and it has been out here for a long time. If KIRO had done it’s JOB and researched just a little bit, it would have realized this FACT and report the whole story. I understand why the WDFW did what they did, publishing that the recreational crabber’s are at fault, they where hoping someone would be lazy enough use it without any question. I do not understand why KIRO was the ONLY one who did.

I am asking and will continue to ask KIRO to do another story, only this time they need to report the complete story.

Here are three very easy to reach contacts for Mr. Johnson to contact if he is having trouble finding where to get information regarding this issue.

Washington State PSA President
Steve Sande
SSANDE1@aol.com

RFA Washington State Chairman
Mike Gilchrist
thinker@gamefishin.com

RFA Washington State Vice-Chairman
Clint Muns
Fishhog211@aol.com

Has anyone recieved a reply at all from KIRO?

Any suggestions of what we can do to help them respond to our e-mails?

Should we contact the onther statins and let them know what KIRO has done and see if they would like to air the whole story.

This BS doesn't suprize me at all. Koening has commercial background. Not only rec. crabbers. Hunters too. They are planning on flooding hunting lands to increase chinook production. This on the face seem to be a good idea. However they have other areas that don't affect hunters they could use BUT ARE NOT. They are not repairing areas they have already flooded but mismanaged. They have cut enforcement. The WADF&W is definitely siding with the Native american commercial interests.(they sure buried the Makah overharvest fast) I feel there is an effort to remove rec. hunting and fishing as much as possible. One it costs the state money to run and two we are a pain to them on legal issues.

As a note: I don't hate native americans. I just think some groups have more influence than others and some bad apples.