Stop Gillnetting Now

12/14/2016

05/15/2015

For the past year and half the coalition of groups associated with Stop Gillnets Now have been closely monitoring the implementation of the 2012 ODFW compromise to move gillnets off the mainstem of the Lower Columbia. Now that hard won fight is under attack.

Did you know that Governor Kate Brown recently nominated a commercial gillnet industry lobbyist, Bruce Buckmaster, to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, which oversees the ODFW?

Buckmaster, a long-time advocate of the destructive and outdated practice of gillnetting, will do everything in his power to roll back the compromise plan to remove gillnets from the lower Columbia River to benefit our salmon fisheries.

Will you take 2 minutes to contact your State Senator and tell them to VOTE NO to the Gillnet lobby takeover of our ODFW Commission? https://www.votervoice.net/CCAPNW/1/Campaigns/40725/Respond…

The Senate is holding a committee hearing on his appointment next Tuesday, May 19.http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/04/sportfishers_ask_gov_kate_brow.html

Representatives from the organizations met with Brown this week and asked her to withdraw gill-net lobbyist Bruce Buckmaster's nomination to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

06/28/2013

As the 2013 Oregon legislative session enters it’s final days deals are being cut, bills taken hostage and dangerous backroom dealing is afoot in Salem.

Senate Bill 830, which supports the Kitzhaber gillnet removal plan, is in jeopardy of falling victim to these last minute closed door deals.

Senate Bill 830 will re-legalize alternative, selective fishing gears and provide funding to help commercial gillnet fisherman transition to these more sustainable, selective fishing practices.

With only days, and maybe hours, left to this session we need you to contact the leadership of the Oregon State legislature and tell them that passage and funding of SB 830 is critical as a matter of fairness and moving forward on the Kitzhaber gillnet removal plan.

Will you take 2 minutes to email or call Speaker of the House Tina Kotek and tell her not trade this important bill at the end of the session?

[email protected] or 503-986-1200 or you can send an email through the CCA's Voter Voice: https://www.votervoice.net/CCAPNW/1/Campaigns/32852/Respond

Your message to the speaker is simple:


--->Failing to pass SB 830 will only re-ignite the long standing controversy over Columbia River gillnets in Oregon.

--->Do not trade SB 830 for votes on other bills. The Legislature needs to act to pass and fund SB 830.

--->SB 830 is a key part of Governor Kitzhaber's compromise Columbia River fishery reform proposal, which has been adopted by the Oregon and Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissions.

--->Failing to pass SB 830 only harms the commercial fishing interests that are opposing the bill.

The lobbyists are having their say, it's time Speaker Kotek heard from the you!


Thank you for your time and support.

Sincerely,

Stop Gillnets Now

Right now, dangerous backroom dealing is afoot in Salem that threatens the passage and funding of SB 830, which is an important component of the Columbia River gillnet reform package that was recently adopted by the Oregon and Washington Fish and Wildlife...

06/10/2013

Great news! The ODFW Commission voted Thursday by a 4-1 margin to reaffirm their commitment to the gillnet phase out plan! A new vote was necessary in order to address several procedural issues missed during the original hearings. The commercial gillnet industry showed up and called for the commission to scrap the plan entirely but the commission stood by it's original December vote. A big thank you to everyone who called and emailed the ODFW commission.

06/04/2013

It's been awhile since we've given an update so we wanted to share with you the progress of removing gillnets from the Lower Columbia River.

As you know, last December the Oregon Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Commission adopted a historic plan proposed by Governor Kitzhaber to phase out the destructive, indiscriminate and unnecessary practice of commercial gillnet fishing on the mainstem of the Lower Columbia River over the next three years. A month later the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the same plan.

The adoption of the Kitzhaber plan was a victory for our endangered salmon and other forms of wildlife like diving birds, otters, beavers that become trapped in gillnets causing them to drown after prolonged suffering.

Unfortunately, the commercial gillnet lobby has chosen to continue to fight this sensible and fair compromise plan. In January they filed a lawsuit challenging the Kitzhaber plan and have taken the fight to the Oregon legislature in hopes of finding some way to continue their destructive fishing practices.

Make no mistake, the gillnet industry will fight this all the way. When they do not succeed in Court, they will seek other ways to weaken, delay or change the original agreement.

The good news is in the coming weeks there will be opportunities for you to voice your support for removing gillnets from the Columbia once again. The ODFW Commission and the Oregon Legislature are considering proposals to fund and implement the gillnet phase-out plan and we are going to need your voice to remind them of the strong grassroots support that still exists to end the destructive practice of commercial gillnetting.

01/15/2013

Great news! This past Saturday the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife voted unanimously 9-0 to mirror their Oregon counterparts and adopted a plan to phase out Gillnets on the Columbia River.

SEATTLE — The state Fish and Wildlife Commission has voted to phase out gillnet fishing on the main stem of the Columbia River, relegating the primary commercial fishing tool to tributaries and bays.

12/13/2012

Last Friday, thanks to supporters like you, the ODFW Commission voted to ban gill nets on the main stem of the Columbia River. It was truly a historic occassion. However we must get both states to adopt this proposal and we need you to voice your support for the policy this Saturday at the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting.

If you are a Washington resident please consider making a comment on the proposal at the WDFW meeting starting at 9:00 AM on Saturday, December 15 in Olympia (details below).

Can't make the meeting? Send the WDFW an email [email protected] urging them to adopt the Columbia River Fishery Reform Proposal.

What: Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Hearing on Columbia River Fishery Reform Proposal
When: 9:00 AM, Saturday, December 15
Where: Natural Resources Building – 1111 Washington St SE in Olympia, First Floor, Room 172

11/20/2012

Great news! The Bi-State Working Group unanimously recommended the Kitzhaber proposal to both Fish and Wildlife Commission. http://www.cbbulletin.com/423894.aspx

A work group comprised of Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife commissioners on Thursday agreed on recommendations that would change state management of lower Columbia River fisheries by eliminating the use commercial gill nets by non-tribal fishe

10/02/2012

BIG NEWS!

Yesterday, the Washington Anglers PAC released their 2012 voters guide. BOTH candidates for Governor - Jay Inslee (D) and Rob McKenna (R) strongly supported Governor Kitzhaber's plan and both candidates committed to directing the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to move gillnets off the mainstem of the Columbia River. http://www.washingtonanglerspac.com/voters-guide/

09/19/2012

Texas officials on discovering an illegal gillnet operation: "They're pretty deadly on everything. They catch everything that goes through it. I mean sea turtles and everything. That's why they outlawed gill nets years ago," said Skipper Moch, a local fishing guide.

Wildlife officials say they’ve uncovered an illegal fishing operation near Boca Chica Beach

09/18/2012

The special interest gillnet lobby claims that removing gillnets from the COlumbia River will shut their businesses down. Simply not true. Try telling that to the Colville Tribes that are leading the way, using an alternative to gillnets (purse seines) that can selectively harvest hatchery fish while releasing wild fish back to the river to spawn.
Click 'like' if you support saving wild fish with alternatives to gillnets.

For the last three years, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation have been learning a new, more selective way to fish. Purse seining is a live c...

09/14/2012

Gillnets are killing whales, sea turtles and sharks off California's coast. Oregon banned gillnets in our coastal waters decades ago, but we still allow them to kill marine mammals and endangered salmon on the Columbia River. Click 'like' if you want this deadly practice to end!

SAN FRANCISCO— Conservation groups filed a notice of intent to sue the federal government under the Endangered Species Act today for authorizing California’s drift gillnet fishery, which has killed alarming numbers of endangered s***m whales in recent years. In addition to s***m whales, the fishery ...