House Bill 1717

[Salmonhawk]

Let's get House Bill 1717 out of committee and on to a vote!!

More info

http://blog.theoutdoorline.com/post/201 ... table.aspx

[Salmonhawk]

Here is a link to House Bill 1717

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdo ... s/1717.pdf

[Jerm]

Thanks for sharing.

Hope this gets passed. It will be a giant step forward.


Its about time the Commercial guys start doing the right thing. Especially with modern day electronics to mark the snag nets.

[Fishnut]

Great News! After supplying the commission with the latest NW straits data showing how many derelict nets are left and how many birds, invertebrates, fish, etc. they kill per year. They went ahead and said it was their job to be the lead agency requiring net marking and mandatory net loss withing 24-48 hours and think it can be implemented now with Emergency rules! How cool is that? They are not going to wait for this bill to be introduced and written by legislators.
What a great job they are doing.
They also banned bottom dragging in the Puget Sound and straits today!!!!!!!!!!!

[Salmonhawk]

The senate version of this bill, SB 5661, will be open for public comment at a hearing on Monday at 1:30 in the Senate Natural Resources Committee, Hearing Room #2. Please be there and lend your support to this bill. If you can't attend, at least email your legislator and the governor in support. Here is a link to find your legislator and tell them to support SB 5661 and HB 1717.
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx

[Salmonhawk]

Here is a copy of my letter. Feel free to borrow from it.
Dear Representatives,

I am writing to urge you, if given the opportunity, to vote for SB 5661 and HB 1717 changing RCW 77.12.870 and making it mandatory for commercial gillnetters to report lost nets. The current RCW only encourages reporting and unfortunately the commercial and tribal netters do not report lost nets. This change would go a long way in recovery of our endangered rockfish. As one who served on the Puget Sound Rockfish Committee and a father that would love to once again have the opportunity to fish for rockfish with his two sons in Puget Sound waters, I know that there is nothing that would lead to recovery faster than removing these lost nets. These nets continue to kill for decades after they are lost. According to Northwest Straits Commission, there are more than 1,500 remaining derelict nets in Puget Sound, killing more than 800,000 animals annually. These include, fish, birds, shellfish, and marine mammals that drown when tangled in these nets. Also, by theie estimates, 20-30 gillnets are lost annually leading to an even larger number of animals that die unnecessarily every year.

As a co-host for The Outdoor Line radio show, I am given the opportunity to publicly speak and write about these issues and would love to be able to count you as one of the legislators in this state that support recreational anglers and the billion dollar industry that recreational angling is in this state. Here is a link to a recent blog written on this subject complete with a few pictures that give some perspective to the damage done by commercial and tribal gillnets: http://blog.theoutdoorline.com/post/201 ... table.aspx

I thank you for your attention to these matters and I am available for questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Rob Tobeck

[Salmonhawk]

We are having a great discussion on my legislative update blog. http://blog.theoutdoorline.com/post/201 ... pdate.aspx