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Anglers blast wildlife officials in Cathlamet

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 11:32 PM PDT

By Tony Lystra

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Commercial and sport fishermen blasted state wildlife officials for not fighting harder to extend this year's Chinook salmon season on the Lower Columbia River during a town hall meeting in Cathlamet Wednesday night.

"You guys did not go to bat for us," Stewart Poulsen, of Longview, told the officials.

Fishing on the Lower Columbia River was severely limited this year because of poor salmon runs projected for the Willamette River, officials from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

It was clear that fishermen wouldn't be able to take as many salmon as in previous years, they said. What wasn't clear was which areas of the Columbia and Willamette river systems would be most restricted.

As a result, fishermen said the small, rural communities along the Lower Columbia lost out to the Portland-Vancouver area in a battle over fishing rights.

"Big-city people don't like gillnetters. They don't like loggers. They'll get any kind of weapon to shut us down," said Paul Vik, who was raised in a family of gillnetters. "It looks like, when the rubber meets the road, it's the big-city economy that's the important thing and we get nothing."

Community members said the shortened fishing season damaged a local economy that relies heavily sport and commercial fishing.

David Goodroe, the executive director of the Lower Columbia Economic Development Council in Cathlamet, estimated that losing the bulk of the sport fishing season cost the local economy at least $250,000. That, he said, includes losses to gas stations, restaurants, motels and a local marina.

"Our commercial fishermen make up our fourth-largest employer," said Richard Erickson, who also works with the economic development council. "I liken it to Seattle if you lost Microsoft."

Oregon and Washington wildlife officials worked out a deal early this year that allowed fishermen on the Willamette River to fish for spring chinook seven days each week for several months.

The Lower Columbia River, by contrast, got only 12 days of sport fishing in March and early April. Worse, state officials and fishermen agreed Wednesday that the fishing during those 12 days was terrible.

And, for the first time, commercial fishermen were blocked from fishing the Columbia below Hayden Island, near Portland, said Cindy LeFleur, of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Oregon officials were not at Wednesday's meeting to defend their position on the policy.

Kent Martin, who has been fishing the Lower Columbia for decades, called it a "metro-area hijack."

He said sport fisherman guides around Portland didn't want to pay extra travel expenses and benefited from lax restrictions on the Willamette.

"I just think greed took over," Martin said.

Guy Norman, the Southwest Washington region director for the department of Fish and Wildlife, called it "a very unique situation."

Washington officials, he said, wanted to enforce uniform regulations in both states, so they agreed to this year's policy. But, he said that if Willamette salmon runs dip again next year, Washington officials will push harder for a longer Chinook season on the Lower Columbia.

"We're not satisfied with the outcome for the lower river," he said. "We did fight for the lower river. What we're hearing today is you want us to fight harder. And what we're saying is, we will."

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Man Bites Dog wrote on May 15, 2008 12:34 AM:

" A gillnetter (Kent Martin) complaining that someone was greedy with the fish. Now THAT is a newsflash! "

I just know it wrote on May 15, 2008 2:57 AM:

" under all the smoke and mirrors oregon has something that washington wants so they bargined with the fish season, count on it . "

what wrote on May 15, 2008 6:41 AM:

" comparing the netters to microsoft makes no sense. it is time to buy out the nets and retrain those silly enough to still be relying on fish for a living. "

farwest wrote on May 15, 2008 7:02 AM:

" I would prefer to fish the lower river $pringers. Thanks to FWS to have a meeting and to those who attended.

I wish FWS (TDN) would update the results of their 08 season tactics NOW. "

common man wrote on May 15, 2008 8:17 AM:

" We are lucky to have such a great WDFW director, who is a fish expert. He has done a great job if he keeps it up we won't have to worry, about the fish, there will be no fish, no sea lions, no seasons, so WDFW will have no problem. "

Big Mike wrote on May 15, 2008 8:25 AM:

" Why all the complaints on fishing go to the grocery store and buy a salmon, if you worked the days you fished it would easily be affordable and yes big city economies that support hundreds of thousands of people are much more important that dozens at smaller towns. "

Dont pay wrote on May 15, 2008 9:06 AM:

" WDFW survives on the fees that they charge the sport fisherman and hunter. If you're really serious about sending them a message, don what I did this year, don't buy your license. Fish out of state if you can afford it. Hunt there also. But don't spend another penny supporting disfunction and indifference. Just my two cents. "

Sue wrote on May 15, 2008 9:22 AM:

" If the poor fish run on the Willamette was really the reason for the closing of the lower Columbia why wasn't the Willamette completely closed? Something smells fishy here. As to the commercial fishers and the advise to buy one's fish at the super market, where do you suppose those fish come from? "

Get a real job gillnetters wrote on May 15, 2008 9:53 AM:

" Big city people have real jobs. How many days a year does a gill netter work? Not enough to call this a profession anymore. It's not 1950 anymore there is no resource left for you to live off of. How about you gill netters go find a real job too. Don't you ever ask these questions of yourselves. I think most of you do have real jobs and you gillnet for a hobby and because you are still allowed to. When I lived in Idaho there were always ranchers saying that it was a lifestyle and their way of life. Well economics and the environment was unable to sustain fishing as their way of life anymore. Why fight the reality. "

Not just the seasons wrote on May 15, 2008 10:08 AM:

" It's not just the seasons that the WDFW is screwing with to disenfranchise the hunters and fisherpersons. Have any of you sat down and read the entire new fishing pamphlet for this season? I suggest that you do your homework before you go, and you had better take a copy of the rules with you also. "

Big Mike wrote on May 15, 2008 10:21 AM:

" How about instead of being a fisherman and holding on to some fantasy "lifestyle" like, oh my Dad did this so I have to, go back to school and move to the city. "

get a job wrote on May 15, 2008 10:24 AM:

" How could anyone make a living off the columbia anymore, get rid of the nets. Most of the fish I see in the store come from Alaska or some farm back east anyway. I would rather catch my own, and I do , in Alaska. The netters just dont want to lose their tax write offs. They have real jobs and netting is just a hobby. "

If its just a hobby wrote on May 15, 2008 10:42 AM:

" If it's just a hobby and they don't really depend on it for a living, then why is it still allowed? Lets do away with it and they can buy a sport license like everybody else. Fishing should be a hobby you can't expect us to support you anymore. Hell, they'd never admit it anyway, it's their way of life. How about you find a new way. "

Sport Fisher wrote on May 15, 2008 10:55 AM:

" As someone who does it for fun it sucks but you just move on. There is still lots of fishing opportunity's for the sport fishermen shad, bass, trout sturgeon and others. As for the gill-netters this is there job, there livelihood and it hurts when you get that taken away from you. You can make a pretty good argument that someone with a desk job should get a REAL job. I have mixed fillings about gill-netting but at the same time don't want to see anyone loose there job. "

A desk job wrote on May 15, 2008 11:19 AM:

" A desk job doesn't steal away a resource meant for everyone like a gillnetter does. I say it's not a real job because they only fish 10 days a year. When they aren't allowed to fish what are they really losing. When there is a good run I see them on the side of the road sell the fish for a dollar a pound. It makes me sick. Why do you think the smelt are gone. Commercial Fishing! "

Hide Behind wrote on May 15, 2008 11:22 AM:

" I noticed not one salmon showed up to speak for itself.If one had it would of been fileted and eaten or else sold to highest bidder. If it went up for bid netters sportsmen could of gotten as it would of gone to fisheries, not out of own pockets but out funds taken from netters and sportsmen.Funny thing is no one talked about saving the salmon per se but all talk centered upon who was going to makeor lose money off of salmon and city of Portland won. If the Salmon is so important then lets make just one interstate license for sport or commercial, and all you in Washington State go fish or boat in "Our Waters", yes all of you.There should be just one license for OR/WA, netters, charters or guides and all pay for the cost of hatcheries and fisheries officials, while the sports fishers will get two cards, one to count fish and other a tax card that at year end they mail in with a $5 or $10 tax upon every salmon caught. That way as salmon die off and need for more hatcheiries and river cleanups becomes necessary they who buy or catch salmon will pick up bill for those new needs and maybe save the salmon, and OR/WA Gov. fishery personell jobs.Just as long as politics and greed are running fisheries, their past records do not instill any confidence at all, the salmon and all who enjoy will lose. "

FanInTheStands wrote on May 15, 2008 11:34 AM:

" You cannot gillnet your way to salmon recovery. If they can come up with a more selective way to fish, instead of operating at a 40% mortality rate for salmon, they would be welcomed to stay. But until then, off the water. "

Reader wrote on May 15, 2008 11:45 AM:

" Lystra is obviously a shill for the gillnetters, not a journalist.

If commercial fishermen employed selective fishing methods that allowed for endangered species to be released alive, there would be more fish for both commercial and sport interests. Sportsmen contribute much more $$ per fish to the local economy than commercially caught fish. Those are proven facts. "

Got news for you Hide wrote on May 15, 2008 11:51 AM:

" I'd keep fishing if I could never eat a fish again, I release the fish I catch anyway. It's about the hunt not the cooler. Most fishermen would agree with that. Gillnetters are the exception to this. If it weren't for sport fishermen I doubt there would be a fish run, we care more about salmon than anyone. "

sam fowler wrote on May 15, 2008 1:01 PM:

" once again 150,000 sport fishers think they have no impact on fish!!!GILLNETS HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO LAY OUT A NET UNTIL ALL ESCAPMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.The gillnetters assesed themselves money to help enhance the fish[youngs bay] sports fishers[northwest steelheaders assoc]was asked if they wanted to help ANOTHER FACT,thier reply we will have nothing to do with gillnetters.SO THE GILLNETTERS DID IT BY THEMSELVES.Now silvers,spring salmon,fall salmon all come to youngs bay.You now what happened next your sport fish limit went from one fish a day to three!!!and you sporties have more fish to catch,thanks to KENT MARTIN AND GILLNETTERS LIKE HIM.BY THE WAY STILL AT NO COST TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE.NOW GO TAKE A STEER FROM A FARMER "

Hey Sam wrote on May 15, 2008 1:21 PM:

" How many days do you fish each year? What do you do the other 350 days of the year? "

sam fowler TO GET A REAL JOB wrote on May 15, 2008 1:26 PM:

" an eight hour a day job is your job cool, proud of your outstanding acomplishments.Go indebt to get where it took fishermen to get,now buy your nets and hang them[sew together readers digest version]now go gillnettin seems simple pull in thousands of fish.but wait we had to let so many fish for escapement get up river above dams or in hatcheries because we can only FISH when a sustainble run is assured!! do you mister sport fisherman.GEEZZZ I almost forgot snag dues[cost incured to clear snags so as not to ruin net]now here comes tugs ships and other hazards no time to sleep now, been up two days staight one more day and gas is almost paid,you could never do what we do if you tried you might sing a differrent song "

sam fowler wrote on May 15, 2008 1:43 PM:

" TO BIG MIKE:fantasy lifestyle because my dad did it!!!! MY FAMILY IS NO FANTASY WE HAVE FISHED FOR FIVE GENERATIONS NOT ONE TIME HAVE ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM WELFARE.So I think your ideas need rethinking if possible. Got news for HIDE: stupidity does not SCARE ME.If not for the cooler just the HUNT do you even know a thing about fish or just full of yourSELF. "

Youre making my point Sam wrote on May 15, 2008 1:45 PM:

" You're obviously at your wits end. You can't make any money with your expenses and gas. I don't think you're pulling in 1000's of salmon. There aren't sustainable runs anymore. You're fighting a losing battle, give up. I have brains enough not to even try, how about you. But the fact is you probably already have a real job. You probably do this while on vacation from that real job. If you are trying to make a living fishing you're a fool. "

to hey sam from sam wrote on May 15, 2008 1:59 PM:

" well start with your daily planner and tell me what you do.but for a short cut I will tell you what I did those days.I had to buy different licenses for areas in the state ,grays harbor,willapa bay,puget sound.dont you only buy one state fishing license and can fish anywhere in the state!!!These licenses were not free,each area takes diferent gear,and no I did not do only that alaska too but that aint cheap either.now your turn!!! "

Big Mike wrote on May 15, 2008 2:16 PM:

" It's about time somebody stood up to the hick commercial fisherman, it's no wonder that they don't have fishing runs when gill nets don't discriminate over what fish they take, yeah also I'm not surprised your family has done it for 5 generations....maybe someone should try college out. "

Hide Behind wrote on May 15, 2008 6:19 PM:

" Pulled net without power reel on friends and boss's 26' with 4 lunger.Used to be able to tell commerical fisherman by size of chest, forearms, walk, talk, fought and smell.Still could mend net though hands arthritic. Helped try for chum returns in Willipa bay but fisheries said no and stopped giving eggs for fish box's.Do or have I known gill netters who made more under table and kept a few illegals, yup.Do I know commerical fisherman who are smarter than the above average fishermen & fisheries people, yup. Do I blame gillnetters for trying to hang on in a dying industry, no way.I had realtive now deceased who kept East coast fisheries alive and independent buying boats for resale at low interest and bought a freezer ship for buying because price at launch not same at return by Corp. buyers. They changed. He smuggled Mexican Swordfish & Big Tuna to sell in Canada for Japan. The Feds thought he was running dope and could not tell a marlin from a mackeral when boarded. No matter the fees it is subsidized fishing and whats left may be what east coast oyster and lobstermen have and should be looked into. Some of best men I ever met were or are gillnetters. I went out on a few boats during LCJC years to earn extra; loved life but logging more and I watched it die, until today what passes as Gypo logger,axmen, too sad to watch.Wish you luck! "

Billjr wrote on May 15, 2008 6:38 PM:

" The W.D.F.W. has been using our punch card system against us for several years now. The recent Spring Chinook season was a perfect example, dam count around 30 fish a day at best, close the season and it jumps up into the hundreds. This fall will be the same deal, my punchcards say the third week in Sept. is when we would normally catch the most upriver brights, season closes the second week in Sept. While I`m at it, whats up with the Sturg. closing in Sept. when we haven`t caught our allotment in the middle river for several years now, they bite too well then or do we not want salmon fisherman catching sturgeon during slack tides. Why are commercial sturgeon seasons held at night? They swim into the nets better?, They bite bait better at night too yet night sport fishing for sturgeon is not allowed and strictly enforced. "

to hide behind wrote on May 15, 2008 7:23 PM:

" GREAT ARTICAL SOUNDS AS IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF MOST FISHERIES,GOOD READ,by the way my hands are arthritic and still smell a little fishy,mending net not any more!!! MOLE "

goofy wrote on May 15, 2008 9:28 PM:

" do like rainier re-call all of them.the WDFW. "

Fed Up With Commercials wrote on May 16, 2008 1:23 AM:

" Join the CCA, join Friends of the Cowlitz and lets get the commercials off the river! "

Scot Heisel TDN wrote on May 16, 2008 11:12 AM:

" A reader comment on this thread accused Sam Fowler of illegal activities. Mr. Fowler has denied the claim. Both comments have been removed. Please keep your comments to the issues at hand and refrain from personal attacks. "

downriver wrote on May 16, 2008 5:13 PM:

" The fish hatcheries were primarily put it place for the commercial fishermen, & the sports are a by-product of that. Most of you say you want to get the gill-netters off the river. Do you possibly know what will happen if that is accomplished? Not one of you do I would wager. The Indians will than come below the dam & hang a set-net on every piling they can find & that includes the whole river. You would surely have alot harder time catching fish then, because they are automatically awarded 50% of all fish runs. One person says we only fish sturgeon at night, which is another falsehood. Most seasons for sturgeon are set for certain hours to coincide with tides, whether is be night or day. The sports already get 80% of the sturgeon catch. Maybe I should picked your workplace for unsafe working, pollution, etc. to put your job in jeopardy, & possibly elimanate it. The shoe I'm sure would not fit if it was your livlihood at stake. "

to downriver wrote on May 16, 2008 6:46 PM:

" WELL SAID,AND THAT IS A FACT "

Rocket wrote on May 16, 2008 10:06 PM:

" Ya still can't gillnet your way to samon recovery. Bottom LIne "

to rocket wrote on May 17, 2008 11:07 AM:

" ya still can't sport fish your way to salmon recovery too many lines on bottom "

Whole Story wrote on May 18, 2008 10:15 AM:

" Interesting comments by council members,"cost local..$250,000! "commerical...4th largest employer! Show me your data to support these statements. As to the local economy..was a survey done or just a guess? Fourth largest employer?? Out of how many? How many gillnet boats and owners live in Cathlamet? 1)Logging, 2)county/city gov't, 3)schools, 4)merchants, GILLNETERS???? and no cannery in town! "

TO WHOLE STORY wrote on May 18, 2008 4:52 PM:

" I see by your own well informed letter,with numbers and all that.I say you have never been there, yes,loggers,farmers,gillnetters and the merchants were there to supply all of them.No cannery: when that town was born all things arrived by ferry.All canneries had delivery stations up and down the river,it was faster to have the fish delivered by thier own tenders to the canneries in astoria,go to the museum in astoria it will show you fish traps,horse seins[sp]and the cathlamet area was once called the seineing grounds,Altoona same thing,it is really interesting, how many lives have and still are effected by this resource you have,stop this finger pointing it is all OUR FAULT,from mills,to dams to all 200 +or- gillnets all the way to 150,000+or- sportfishermen that fish the columbia drainage system,not to talk of predators other than US. "

to whole story wrote on May 18, 2008 11:33 PM:

" I forgot altoona did have a cannery,pillar rock.cathlamet also has a fine little museum "

Whole Story wrote on May 19, 2008 6:17 AM:

" Both of your comments are reflecting past history. Give me some proof that gilnetting is the 4th largest employer in Cathlamet. "

mole wrote on May 19, 2008 12:23 PM:

" to whole story:sorry for confuseing you,I don't know the population in cathlamet as of today,first are loggers,farmers,fishermen then the merchants that is all of the job listings for that area count them.I can.t for the life of me,cannot belive that nobody believes there are areas that still have a high percentage of fishermen in these places;CHINOOK'CATHLAMET,CLATSKANIE,ASTORIA,ILWACO AND MANY OTHERS but like I said the museums and the statistics really are available to any one that is intersted in finding out about those areas not only old time but the new times also.THERE ARE NO MORE CANNERIES BECAUSE WE HAVE TRUCKS AND THE ASTORA BRIDGE.in other words the fish are now take by vehicle instead of the canneries building million dollar facilities for the small amounts of fish delivered to each area that is fished.I know this will not explain all you need to know, but if you really are interrested take a drive and visit those places. "

mole wrote on May 25, 2008 9:59 PM:

" I did what KEN SRING said,check the web on columbia river compact,and noticed ther is 10 pages of columbia,lewis cowlitz,willamete[sp],kalama.10 advertisement on each page,no I didn't check for duplicate adds. so say 90 or so guides 4 poles per boat.360 plus what ever the limit,and I know not all 360 will catch a fish,now add all other poles to the equation it will tell you the sportsmen catch way more than you think. "

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