I'm sure someone has already posted this but I couldn't find it to comment. I just wanted to share how to support 1660, to help keep our licensing fees within the our sport fishery. you can go to http://leg.wa.gov/House/Pages/MembersByDistrict.aspx find your rep and email them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO: Representative Dick Muri
CC: Sen. Steve O'Ban, Rep. Christine Kilduff
FROM: William Goforth
STREET ADDRESS: ------------------------------
EMAIL: billgo4th@gmail.com
PHONE:
BILL: 1660 (Support)
SUBJECT: Finally something that makes sense
MESSAGE: All the funds that go into sport fishing will be used first for sport fishing! I live in the best state for outdoors (Alaska doesn't count! lol), I would like to keep it that way and see my children experience everything it has to offer. I buy licensing every year, and volunteer when I can to help in any way to support the environment and fishery. Thank you for your time.
RESPONSE: You have requested a response from Representative Dick Muri
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HB 1660
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Re: HB 1660
by olympic » Sat Jan 31, 2015 3:52 pm
Hey Billgo, I have already sent an email to this rep: brian.blake@leg.wa.gov and my local rep and stated that I am a strong supporter of sportfishing. This bill (last I heard) is in the committee headed up by this Brian Blake, who I hear is commercial friendly. I would presume he wants this to die, so we sports fishers need to flood his email box to make sure this bill gets heard and passed! This bill is a great pro sportsfisher bill and pushes towards the goal for Washington becoming a world class sportfishing destination! Here is the text:
http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/ ... s/1660.pdf
I hope that everyone that is on this forum takes a minute to send an email to their reps on this!! Let's get this done gang!!!
http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/ ... s/1660.pdf
I hope that everyone that is on this forum takes a minute to send an email to their reps on this!! Let's get this done gang!!!
- olympic
- Pollywog
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:05 am
Re: HB 1660
by olympic » Fri Feb 06, 2015 5:23 pm
Here is an article that will be printed up in some newspapers that gives a good overview on this:
Another bit of info, Brian Blake is head of the committee so include him when sending an email.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) is funded by the state Legislature every two years to manage, among other things, our state’s fisheries. In the last budget cycle, DFW received nearly $376 million in federal, state and local funding. Nearly $71 million came from the sale of recreational fishing licenses and excise taxes on fishing tackle, or about 19 percent of DFW’s total budget. The smallest contribution – $1.5 million – or less than one-half of one percent of DFW’s budget came from commercial fishing interests.
In 1974, Federal Judge George Boldt upheld treaty fishing rights, in what is known as the “Boldt Decision,” allocating 50 percent of the annual catch to Native American treaty tribes. The remaining 50 percent of the harvest is split between recreational fishing enthusiasts and commercial fishermen using gill and seine nets.
State policies have given the advantage to non-tribal commercial gillnet fisheries on the lower Columbia River, allowing them to harvest two-and-a-half times more salmon than recreational fishers. The disparity is even worse in Willapa Bay as recreational fisheries are constrained, but non-tribal commercial gillnet fisheries are free to harvest 93 percent of available salmon, even though recreational fishers contribute vastly more income to our state’s economy and to DFW’s budget than commercial interests.
More troubling is the preferential treatment given to commercial fishing over recreational fishing in the form of priority seasons set by DFW. For decades, recreational anglers have been treated as a nuisance at DFW, while preferred timing and seasons have been reserved for commercial interests. This has limited recreational fishing opportunities, as well as additional license revenue and economic value that could be flowing to the state from sport fisheries.
The economic impact of the recreational sport fishing industry far outpaces commercial fishing. In Willapa Bay, recreational fishing generates three-and-a-half times more economic value than the commercial fishery, despite catching only 7 percent of the fish. A federal study pegged the annual economic value of Columbia River recreational fisheries at $36 million, but credited only $2.1 million to non-tribal commercial fisheries. Locally, in the 18th Legislative District, 13,500 recreational fishing licenses are sold each year along with 10,000 Columbia River salmon endorsements. Just two other legislative districts in the state sell more Columbia River salmon endorsements than our district.
Recreational anglers don't just buy fishing licenses. They buy fishing tackle, bait, and large items, such as fishing boats, trailers and trucks to pull their vessels to and from their favorite fishing spots. They buy gas, snacks and beverages to consume while they are waiting for the fish to bite. They buy smokers, grills and freezers. Despite DFW's restrictions, recreational fishing contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to our state's economy each year with much of it flowing to Washington’s rural communities.
Overall, recreational fishing is a $1 billion industry in Washington. We believe this could blossom into a much larger industry with economic benefits for Washington and the state’s general fund through a change of policies and priorities. That’s why we have introduced House Bill 1660. The bill would transform Washington into a world-class fishing destination by providing parity to recreational fishing enthusiasts and ensuring fishing opportunities are consistent with user groups’ economic contributions.
Let's face it, sport fishing tourists will spend their money in the most desirable and competitive locations, whether here in Washington or other states or countries. Why should we let DFW constraints send sport fishing tourists elsewhere when we can attract those dollars here? Let's work together and pass HB 1660 to transform Washington's recreational fishing into a multi-billion dollar industry, improve our fragile rural economies still struggling from the Great Recession, and ensure DFW begins serving its primary customer and source of revenue. Contact your Washington state legislators at 1-800-562-6000 and urge them to support HB 1660.
Editor’s note: Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, serves the 18th Legislative District. Bryan Irwin is the Coastal Conservation Association’s former executive director. Dave Patterson is a recreational fishing enthusiast from Camas.
Another bit of info, Brian Blake is head of the committee so include him when sending an email.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) is funded by the state Legislature every two years to manage, among other things, our state’s fisheries. In the last budget cycle, DFW received nearly $376 million in federal, state and local funding. Nearly $71 million came from the sale of recreational fishing licenses and excise taxes on fishing tackle, or about 19 percent of DFW’s total budget. The smallest contribution – $1.5 million – or less than one-half of one percent of DFW’s budget came from commercial fishing interests.
In 1974, Federal Judge George Boldt upheld treaty fishing rights, in what is known as the “Boldt Decision,” allocating 50 percent of the annual catch to Native American treaty tribes. The remaining 50 percent of the harvest is split between recreational fishing enthusiasts and commercial fishermen using gill and seine nets.
State policies have given the advantage to non-tribal commercial gillnet fisheries on the lower Columbia River, allowing them to harvest two-and-a-half times more salmon than recreational fishers. The disparity is even worse in Willapa Bay as recreational fisheries are constrained, but non-tribal commercial gillnet fisheries are free to harvest 93 percent of available salmon, even though recreational fishers contribute vastly more income to our state’s economy and to DFW’s budget than commercial interests.
More troubling is the preferential treatment given to commercial fishing over recreational fishing in the form of priority seasons set by DFW. For decades, recreational anglers have been treated as a nuisance at DFW, while preferred timing and seasons have been reserved for commercial interests. This has limited recreational fishing opportunities, as well as additional license revenue and economic value that could be flowing to the state from sport fisheries.
The economic impact of the recreational sport fishing industry far outpaces commercial fishing. In Willapa Bay, recreational fishing generates three-and-a-half times more economic value than the commercial fishery, despite catching only 7 percent of the fish. A federal study pegged the annual economic value of Columbia River recreational fisheries at $36 million, but credited only $2.1 million to non-tribal commercial fisheries. Locally, in the 18th Legislative District, 13,500 recreational fishing licenses are sold each year along with 10,000 Columbia River salmon endorsements. Just two other legislative districts in the state sell more Columbia River salmon endorsements than our district.
Recreational anglers don't just buy fishing licenses. They buy fishing tackle, bait, and large items, such as fishing boats, trailers and trucks to pull their vessels to and from their favorite fishing spots. They buy gas, snacks and beverages to consume while they are waiting for the fish to bite. They buy smokers, grills and freezers. Despite DFW's restrictions, recreational fishing contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to our state's economy each year with much of it flowing to Washington’s rural communities.
Overall, recreational fishing is a $1 billion industry in Washington. We believe this could blossom into a much larger industry with economic benefits for Washington and the state’s general fund through a change of policies and priorities. That’s why we have introduced House Bill 1660. The bill would transform Washington into a world-class fishing destination by providing parity to recreational fishing enthusiasts and ensuring fishing opportunities are consistent with user groups’ economic contributions.
Let's face it, sport fishing tourists will spend their money in the most desirable and competitive locations, whether here in Washington or other states or countries. Why should we let DFW constraints send sport fishing tourists elsewhere when we can attract those dollars here? Let's work together and pass HB 1660 to transform Washington's recreational fishing into a multi-billion dollar industry, improve our fragile rural economies still struggling from the Great Recession, and ensure DFW begins serving its primary customer and source of revenue. Contact your Washington state legislators at 1-800-562-6000 and urge them to support HB 1660.
Editor’s note: Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, serves the 18th Legislative District. Bryan Irwin is the Coastal Conservation Association’s former executive director. Dave Patterson is a recreational fishing enthusiast from Camas.
- olympic
- Pollywog
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:05 am
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