I have posted this message also on the WSC forum but wanted to make sure everyone saw it.

The WSC is finally open for business and will be spearheading a number of actions in the coming weeks. Among these is a series of letter writing campaigns designed to help the plight of wild fish.

While there will be official correspondence by the WSC on all of these issues, it is very important that individuals take the initiative and write letters and send e-mails to show support for these measures.

The first issue I'm asking people to write in and support is Senate Bill (SB5021).

Senator Bob Oke has introduced Senate Bill (SB5021) "Observer Program on
Commercial Net Vessels" which requests funding to have observers on commercial all net fisheries in Washington. This is to check out by-catch of salmon stocks other than the target species, sea birds, protected
mammals, etc. (Steelhead of course are included in this by-catch but have NEVER been tracked.) The Wild Steelhead Coalition needs to support this bill by sending letters to Oke and all other senators on the attatched list. Include your name, address and telephone number on the e-mail. Make it short and concise but in your own words . Feel free to use the following as a guide:

Dear Senator Oke,

I am writing in support of SB 5021. Given the dire circumstances of our anadromous stocks it is vital that we have the closest possible scrutiny on the by-catch of non-target salmon stocks, sea birds, mammals. I would also
like to have incidental catches of steelhead counted as well. Steelhead have not been done in the past. As a supporter of the Wild Steelhead Coaltion, I feel it important that we learn the impact the commercial fisheries are having on the declining steelhead stocks. As long as we are counting, let's count everything."

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

If possible, please get a couple of your friends to write as well. We need
to fill up those e-mail boxes quickly. I know this takes time but it is vital to keep tabs on the commercial fishery, especially in light of the condition of wild steelhead runs.

Thanks !
Duggan Harman,
WSC Board President


Distribution List Name: Members & Staff
Members:

Chapman, Barbara Chapman_Ba@leg.wa.gov
Constantine, Sen. Dow Constant_Do@leg.wa.gov
Cotton, Lois COTTON_LO@leg.wa.gov
Cusick, Kimberlee CUSICK_KI@leg.wa.gov
Dellwo, Jeannine Dellwo_Je@leg.wa.gov
Eklund, Bruce Eklund_Br@leg.wa.gov
Feeley, Patsy FEELEY_PA@leg.wa.gov
Hanell, Mary Kay HANELL_MA@leg.wa.gov
Hargrove, Sen. Jim HARGROVE_JI@leg.wa.gov
Hedrick, Kammi Hedrick_Ka@leg.wa.gov
Hooper, Bunny HOOPER_BU@leg.wa.gov
Jacobsen, Sen. Ken jacobsen_ke@leg.wa.gov
Keller, Sophia Keller_So@leg.wa.gov
Lewis, Michelle (Oke) LEWIS_MI@leg.wa.gov
McDonald, Sen. Dan MCDONALD_DA@leg.wa.gov
Miller, Olga miller_ol@leg.wa.gov
Morton, Sen. Bob MORTON_BO@leg.wa.gov
Oke, Sen. Bob OKE_BO@leg.wa.gov
Paulson, Nate Paulson_Na@leg.wa.gov
Roberts, Lesley Roberts_Le@leg.wa.gov
Schenck, Amy Schenck_Am@leg.wa.gov
Snyder, Sen. Sid SNYDER_SI@leg.wa.gov
Spanel, Sen. Harriet SPANEL_HA@leg.wa.gov
Stevens, Sen. Val stevens_va@leg.wa.gov
Tommaney, Tamara Tommaney_Ta@leg.wa.gov
Wells, Gail Wells_Ga@leg.wa.gov
Winters, Vickie Winters_Vi@leg.wa.gov