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News
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Update: Proposed Raid On WDFW Recreational License Fees
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Last week we asked you to contact your legislators opposing Governor Gregoire’s proposal to use $1.5 million in recreational license fee revenue to backfill state general fund cuts to salmon hatchery production that primarily benefits commercial fishing interests. Many of you responded and contacted your legislators.
CCA is pleased to report that the fund shift proposal was not adopted by the Legislature during its special session, which adjourned on Wednesday, December 14. The Legislature did pass "down payment" budget cutting legislation of $479 million in mostly non-controversial savings measures, including some cuts to WDFW senior level staff positions. The Legislature was unable to address the entire $2 billion projected shortfall during the special session and will return for its regular session in January to make further cuts. It is likely that the recreational license fee fund shift will be considered again in during the regular session.
Many of you received email responses from your legislators, some of which we believe lacked a thorough understanding of what was being proposed. If your legislator’s response indicated that the $1.5 million did not come from recreational users, you may want to respectfully respond with the following information outlining that the funds did come directly from recreational users. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
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CCA And Others Testify At State Legislative Committee Hearing
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On November 17th, CCA and other groups sent a letter to Gov. Gregoire objecting to the use of $1.5 Million in recreational license fee dollars to subsidize commercial fisheries. On December 7th, CCA, PSA and sportfishing industry Representatives testified in front of the Senate Ways and Means Committee demanding that recreational fees be used for recreational fisheries only.
Testimony was given by representatives of:
--Coastal Conservation Association
--Northwest Marine Trade Association
--Owner of Sportco and Outdoor Emporium
--Puget Sound Anglers
You can view their testimony here.
Additional information about this matter is included in this PDF.
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CCA Favors Legislation To Amend "Discover Pass" Law
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As you may know, last session the legislature passed legislation to require residents to purchase a $30 annual "Discover Pass" to access state parks and some Department of Natural Resource and Department of Fish and Wildlife lands. CCA worked hard then with several key legislators to ensure that the legislation maintained complementary access for recreational fishing license buyers to WDFW boat ramps and launch sites.
The original proposal would have required recreational anglers and hunters to buy a Discover Pass to access lands they were already paying for access to. Unfortunately, the legislation did not address another key concern of ours, the lack of transferability of the pass between vehicles.
Legislation has been introduced to amend the Discover Pass law to allow transferability between two vehicles, which is a welcomed development. You can read SB 5977 Here We expect the legislation to move quickly through the legislature given the poor response on the Discover Pass from outdoor enthusiasts.
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North Sound Chapter Presents Conservation Award To Enforcement Officers
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North Sound Chapter Presents Conservation Award To Enforcement Officers
The CCA North Sound chapter presented the first annual “Conservation Steward Award” to two enforcement officers, Officer Ryan Valentine (WDFW) and Brad Washington (Nooksack Tribe), for their two-year efforts to remove derelict nets from the Nooksack River.
In February of 2008, the North Sound chapter of CCA documented and photographed over 62 derelict nets in the Nooksack River. Like their brothers in the sound, these fresh water nets also pose an imminent threat to birds, salmon, steelhead and mammals not only in the Nooksack River but in the entire Puget Sound river systems. Subsequently, over 87 derelict nets have been identified and removed.
The two were acknowledged for the first annual award for their outstanding efforts and conservation goals in the net retrieval effort.
A Seattle Times article announcing the award can be read here:
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Governor Appoints Two Fish and Wildlife Commissioners
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Larry Carpenter, a Mount Vernon boat dealer and long-time sportfishing enthusiast, and Jay Kehne, an Okanogan County conservationist and hunter, have been appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to two vacant positions on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The commission is a nine-member citizen panel that sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Members are appointed by the governor to six-year terms.
To read the entire News Release announcement from WDFW, click here.
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Still looking for last minute gift ideas?
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Four levels of gift membership are available for your angler friends, family members, and business associates. To order gift memberships, click on one of the four membership levels shown at: https://www.ccamembership.org/holiday-gifts/
--Standard Membership
--Print Membership
--Life Membershp
--New Tide Membership
In addition to membership, your gift recipients receive:
--a greeting card
--CCA stickers
--six issues of Tide magazine
--four issues of The Ripple Effect
Plus emails containing;
--eNewsletter Lateral Lines from CCA National
--twelve eNewsletter issues of CCA Connect from CCA Washington
--Action Alerts that enable fast communication on important issues. |
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Advocacy
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CCA Members Help Influence Recreational vs. Commercial Puget Sound Fisheries Decisions
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CCA member Frank Haw explains:
I want to call your attention to a significant accomplishment achieved by the Puget Sound Recreational Fisheres Enhancement Oversight Commitee. CCA members Dave Knutzen, Dave Croonquist, Don Freeman, David Puke, and Norm Reinhardt are active members of that group.
Due to the strong reccomendations of the Commitee, WDFW has reversed some of its cost savings proposals that would have closed or curtailed Chinook salmon production at facilities of particular importance to Puget Sound salmon anglers. Changes were made that shifted recreational enhancement funds (paid by sport fishing license fees) away from a program that otherwise would have contributed overwhelmingly to commercial fisheries.
As you will recall, during the last legislative session CCA Washington successfuly championed an amendment to RC 77.105 requiring specific goals, relating to angling opportunity in Puget Sound, and this was a factor in achieving the favorable results.
Thanks go to those five CCA members, and many, many others, who volunteer their time on numerous WDFW-related Boards and Committees!
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Chapter Notes
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CCA And PSA Volunteer at Dungeness River Hatchery
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North Olympic Peninsula Chapter CCA and PSA member Dave Croonquist helps coordinate volunteer work at the Dungeness River Hatchery. People have responded to Dave's efforts by helping collect fish for spawning, distributing fish carcasses for nutrient enhancement, and collecting fish for distribution to local food banks. The last week in November saw more than 3000 Coho arrive in the hatchery's holding pond. CCA and PSA volunteers helped WDFW hatchery workers with spawning, and then with collecting over 1,200 fish to give to local food banks. Volunteers helped corral the fish with a seine net and then harvest the fish with dip nets. Wild fish were sorted out for release back to the river, and hatchery fish were scanned for coded wire tags for further research. All other hatchery fish were put in bins with ice for transport to a processor who would deliver the fish to local food banks. Even after taking more than 1200 fish from the pond, it was estimated more than 2000 fish remained to be used for nutrient enhancement and the next week's spawning effort. This years Coho Salmon return on the Dungeness River was described by as one of the largest in years.
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Successful Chapter Membership Drive
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The SW Washington chapter’s year-long membership drive generated 225 new chapter members. During the year, for each new person that a CCA member signed up, he or she received one chance at a raffle drawing. The drawing was held in November, and the winner is Gordon Risner.
Gordon’s prize is a fishing trip for 4 with Pro Guide Brandon McGavran of Brandon’s Guide Service, Kalama, WA. The trip is planned for next October, fishing for fall Chinook and Coho on the Lewis River.
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December 20, 2011
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Meeting Dates and Deadlines
WDFW Commission Meetings
January 6-7, 2012; Olympia
February 3-4, 2012; Olympia
March 9-10, 2012; Moses Lake
Agenda and Updates here
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Banquet Dates
Stay tuned for the upcoming 2012 Schedule!
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Feedback and Comments
CCA Washington is interested in hearing from you. Visit our website here to submit comments and questions you may have. Thanks!
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Volunteers Needed!
The work of CCA is dependent upon volunteers. Please volunter to help. No experience is needed. To volunteer in any way, a little or a lot, go to our website here.
Thank you!
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