• • Smelt Listed as Threatened Under ESA
• • Petition Filed with NOAA to List Puget Sound Coho
• • Banquet News
• • Salmon & Steelhead Journal Subscription Donations
• • LAVRO Driftboat Drawing
• • Rockfish Rules, Area 4 (Neah Bay and North Coast)
• • CCA Supports Colville Tribe's Selective Gear Request
• • CCA and WDFW Exchange Views
• • Equipment Donation Needed For Communications

In 2007 the Cowlitz Indian Tribe petitioned NOAA to ESA-list smelt populations in Washington, Oregon, and California.  A status review of smelt was initiated to determine if the species warranted ESA listing.  In 2009, NOAA proposed listing the “southern distinct population segment” as threatened.

On March 16, 2010, NOAA Fisheries announced that it is listing this population segment as threatened under the ESA.  The listing is effective May 17, 2010.  NOAA’s Northwest Regional Office announcement includes a large amount of background information; to read it, click here.

To view a WDFW report of smelt landings in 2010, click here.

To read some historical information about Columbia River smelt, click here.
 

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This year, Sam Wright, a retired WDFW biologist, petitioned NOAA to list Puget Sound Coho as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.  

Petitions filed with NOAA for a listing does not automatically mean that the listing will occur.

To read the petition, click here.
 

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CCA Washington 2010 banquets are off to a great start!

As we close in on the end of March we have already conducted five banquets in Washington and all have been tremendously successful.  Four of the five were significantly larger than last year and two sold out weeks before the event! 

Besides the expected good times and good food with friends, your CCA banquets provide an opportunity as some very unique auction and raffle items.  From high quality fishing rods to unique trip packages and one-of-a-kind products designed just for CCA, you will always find exciting items in a CCA auction.  Remember, every dollar you spend goes to save the fish right here in Washington. 

There is no one CCA event that captures all the elements of CCA’s success – Advocacy, Communication, Fundraising & Membership – better than your local CCA banquet.  If haven’t been to a CCA banquet, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.  But don’t wait too long to buy your ticket…they’re going fast!

Click here to see a calendar of events for Washington and find a banquet near you.

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Salmon & Steelhead Journal, the leading publication for salmon and steelhead anglers, is donating 50% of your new subscription cost back to CCA. 

Demonstrating its commitment to conservation and recreational angling, Salmon & Steelhead Journal is making this very generous offer available to CCA members and their families and friends to give back to the resource.  Already a subscriber?  Great!  This is a excellent opportunity to give a gift to a friend or family member and support CCA at the same time.  Sign up through this special program and $10 of the $19.95 subscription price will be donated to CCA to support our marine conservation work.

Click HERE to take advantage of this special offer now.

Click HERE for a printable flyer describing this offer.

Click HERE for more information about Salmon Steelhead Journal.
 

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Lavro Boats of Monroe, Washington,  donated an 11-foot fiberglass driftboat to the CCA North Snohomish chapter.  Lavro, building boats since the early 1970s, offers a Lifetime Warranty on all of their boats against bottom punctures, leaks, or wearing out
(read the warranty at www.lavroboats.com/whylavro.html).

The North Snohomish chapter and CCA are offering one thousand $10 tickets for a drawing to win this boat, a trailer, oars, anchor,
and a custom cover. You don’t have to be at the June drawing to win.

You say you don’t want a driftboat??  Well, please buy a ticket or two anyway.  If you win, you could donate the boat and trailer to your
next chapter banquet for the live auction. Only ten bucks for a chance to be a hero with a GREAT donation to your banquet.

To view/print the flyer on ticket purchase information, click here.

Thank you, Lavro Boats, for your generous contribution to CCA!   
 

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Beginning last fall, WDFW notified the public and encouraged citizen input regarding possible changes to rockfishing rules.   The Department appropriately requested public input for a series of rules proposed in Marine Areas 4B-13.  Rule 10-3 called for a change in what is commonly known as MA-4B (Sekiu River to the Bonilla Tatoosh line).  The proposed rule changed the daily rockfish limit from 10 rockfish combined (release canary and yelloweye) to 10 black or blue (only) rockfish combined. During the public process, several individuals recommended reducing that limit to something less than 10 and eventual discussions led to the plan to reduce the rockfish limit in MA-4B from 10 to 6 black and blue rockfish combined.

At their February 5th meeting, WDFW Commissioners approved a rockfish rule change that applied to not only MA-4B but also included all of Marine Area 4 including the coast from Cape Flattery to Cape Alava known as MA-4A  which, among other things, reduced the daily limit in the entire area.  There was no public notice or public input requested regarding rockfish rule changes for Marine Area 4A.

This oversight was noted by CCA members Rob Tobeck and Bear Holmes and they notified Ron Garner, President, Puget Sound Anglers, Mike Jamoretz (Jambo’s Sportfishing) and others.  They alerted the Commission and the Department about the lack of legally required public notice and comment pertaining to changing the rockfish rules for MA-4A (coastal).

(The Makah Tribal Council, Big Salmon Resort, and the Clallam County Economic Development Council were notified and brought into the discussions.)

As a result, a Commission conference call meeting was held, and the Commission rescinded the part of the rule change that applied to the coastal MA-4A.  The Commission’s February 19th News Release explains their decision; to read the News Release, click here.

Thanks go to Ron, Rob, Bear, and Mike, plus others involved, for their alertness and actions that resulted in corrective action.
 

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In February, CCA Washington sent a letter to Congressman Norm Dicks supporting the Colville Tribe’s request for a $1 million appropriation to further test fishing gears for selective harvesting of Chinook salmon in the upper Columbia River.  To read the letter, click here.
 

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Late last month,  Sea-Tac chapter  member and long-time Puget Sound rockfish advocate Bear Holmes, met with WDFW Director Phil Anderson and Assistant Director (Fish) Jim Scott.  Holmes, a member of the WDFW Puget Sound Rockfish Conservation Plan advisory group, said the meeting was requested by Anderson after hearing of Holmes' concerns over certain rule making and communication processes.  

Holmes described the meeting as pleasant and very productive and found Director Anderson well informed, genuinely interested, easy to talk with and easy to listen to.  Holmes said "I was very impressed that Director Anderson and Assistant Director Scott took almost a full hour out of their very busy schedules to meet with me especially considering it was right in the middle of a very contentious legislative session and at a time when they were fighting for their very survival."  Holmes went on to say Director Anderson is very concerned with rockfish and other groundfish populations in Puget Sound and, without getting into the details, he and Director Anderson agreed to work together toward some common goals.  Holmes also said he believes Anderson is "the right man for the job" and looks forward to working with him.
 

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The Communications Committee is developing a new “public relations” project, and your help is requested to acquire equipment.

The project is to produce some CCA advocacy Power Point presentations that would appeal to various non-fishing groups such as Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Clubs, fraternal organizations, union hall meetings, civic groups, and any organization that would welcome a CCA presentation at their meetings.

A member has already donated a laptop with software but we're still in need of a digital projector for this important project. Please contact us at 1-877-255-8772 if you have one you can donate. Receipts for donations to CCA will be provided. Thanks! 
 

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Kitsap (Silverdale) Saturday, March 27, 2010

SW WA (Vancouver) Saturday, April 9, 2010

North Sound (Bellingham) Saturday, May 01, 2010

Twin Harbors (Aberdeen) Saturday, May 8, 2010

North Central Washington (Wenatchee) Saturday, May 8, 2010

Lower Columbia (Longview) Saturday, May 22, 2010 

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!

CCA Washington is interested in hearing from you. Visit our website here to submit comments and questions you may have. Thanks!