On August 16th, the Stop Gillnets Now coalition (SGN), the group leading the Yes on Measure 81 campaign to end destructive gillnetting in Oregon, announced support for an alternative plan promoted by Governor John Kitzhaber. SGN made it clear at that time that they would continue with the Yes on 81 campaign as they monitored the progress of the Governor’s proposal before the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.
On September 10th, in response to a request made by Governor Kitzhaber that all parties work in good faith to resolve this issue through the commission process, and in recognition of his strong leadership to find a path of compromise toward sustainable management of the Columbia River, the Stop Gillnets Now Coalition and the Coastal Conservation Association announced that they are taking the unprecedented step of ending their campaign in support of Measure 81. As of today, they will shift their efforts toward supporting the Governor’s plan and the commission’s work to implement this new policy.
The primary goal of Measure 81 is to restore the threatened and endangered native fish runs and protect wildlife by removing destructive gillnets from the Columbia River. The Governor’s plan accomplishes this goal. While the Governor’s plan is not perfect, and it requires all stakeholders to make some compromises, it will accomplish the historic shift of gillnets out of the main stem of the Columbia River.
SGN has made a number of efforts over the years to find a better way to commercially harvest fish in the Columbia River without the use of destructive gillnets by working through stakeholder groups, the ODFW, the Commission and the Legislature. Unfortunately each attempt, no matter how small, has been met with rigid opposition by the gillnet industry and their allies.
The Stop Gillnets Now coalition and Measure 81 were launched in response to this inactivity at commission and legislative levels. Now, thanks to Governor Kitzhaber’s and the ODFW Commission’s leadership, a new Columbia River management policy can be adopted that will restore endangered native fish runs and protect wildlife while creating a sustainable commercial fishing industry.
Beginning Sept. 10th, Stop Gillnets Now will cease all activities in support of Measure 81, including plans to engage in television or radio advertising in support of Measure 81. SGN’s ongoing campaign to educate Oregonians about gillnets and their indiscriminate killing of native salmon and other species will continue.
Now, more than ever, it is important for thousands of SGN supporters to stay involved and to direct their grassroots support toward the ODFW Commission and Governor Kitzhaber’s forward-thinking management plan. SGN will continue a public education campaign to increase awareness of gillnets in the Columbia River and to ensure that the process of eliminating gillnets from the Columbia River is not thwarted or delayed.
SGN asks supporters to remain engaged and involved to carry this effort through to completion. |
