Marsha & Louie, CCA Refused to even address it two years ago, that is a fact, especailly if you want me to post all of the emails between them and me. Marsha, your efforts with the Crab are primarily through PSA not CCA. And all of the PSA Hours that have gone into the Crab Allocation issues would dwarf what CCA has been doing with it. All I am saying (to CCA) is thank you for your belated help and be POLITE about it (Larry B -- U District the exception). I think it was through Larry B that finally got CCA started in the right direction just last year late. And as for being a pain in the ass, thank you. That "Pain" at least got something started instead of a bunch of worthless time wasting studies, hand wringing Hen Parties, and WDFW con jobs. I think that the Courteous Thing for Washington CCA should have done in that article, would have been to acknowledge the Decade Long PSA Efforts, that CCA has now joined.

"Aside from what Marsha pointed out, I find it frustrating to hear someone complain about what cca did not do. Its a freaking volunteer organization. If people with the knowledge will not volunteer, than dont bitch when it doesnt get done. For every volunteer doing work at the ground level, more work is created for oversight, research, planning, meetings, reports, phone calls etc for those who have graciously taken on that role which is usually one chairman, who is also working on other projects, involving salmon or ground fish or habitat, Marine protection areas, etc. Growing pains happen at every level of every committee. If you want to do more you have to find the people with the passion and the time. Only recently have they expanded the mgt of projects by area, so that we dont have to go back to one manager and beat him until he gives up retirement and all his activities."

First off I have spent quite a lot of PERSONAL effort in getting something started and DONE with the CRC (2006 thru Current). Who in Hades do you think got the Performance Audit Ball Bouncing??? You, anybody in CCA, even the Shellfish advisory committe members -- Nope. I begged CCA to get involved, their reply "We are too busy with organizing, fish conservation, etc. I will continue my first and foremost "Independent/Individual" efforts plus all of my NOP PSA Activities. And yes I will continue to BITCH and COMPLAIN, because I have and will continue to pay my dues and put in the hours when most do NOT.

Rant Off

Looks like this thread is taking a dive.

I personally would like to thank everyone that had anything to do with bringing this to the table and opening it up for discussion and review.

Knowing Ron Garner I am sure that he welcomes the help and wish that we would all join in the fight and stop this [censored] for tat, it does nothing but keeps us divided and holding the crappy end of the stick.

We are finally on the verge of having something that I have only heard about and still there are those that will stand in the corner bickering about who gets the pats on the back, everyone who had anything to do with this deserves credit and I thank you.

Thank You all,

Fishy

No one is denying that. You think you were the only one turned down? You weren't. They didnt have enough volunteers to do the work. Its called growing pains.
The people that have the best chance of getting a project done, are the people who will stand up and take charge of the project. When you obligate the organization to a project, they just dont drop everything else. If you dont follow thru, its the organization and the resource that suffers. Some doors are more easily opened than others.

There are hundreds of little jobs that are done in order for the organization to make this all work. All the people that contribute to the communication department for the Ripple effect newsletter, online Connect including advertising and website are volunteers that want this bad enough to give up their own free time.

First, I certainly cannot take much credit in this re: CCA involvement. I did volunteer to participate and have had several meetings with other CCA members and hope my input has been considered. That said, this retirement life is very busy and I certainly could have done more in the last couple of months.

Also, for the record, there is also a larryb from Elma who predates my coming on line here. Apparently the system allows for a larryb and a Larry B. What is one to do???? Anyway, JohnQ has suggested I am somehow associated with the University District. That is incorrect. No living, breathing Coug could let that error go uncorrected.

We are at a critical juncture and need to support the Commission while at the same time push for the best outcome possible for enhancement of our recreational opportunities as well as resource protection.

Larry B from University Place and Whidbey Island

AM,
It would probably take a staff of staffers at WDFW to monitor you. So that's where some of our endorsement money is going.

UP to now, some WDFW staff protecting and defending the 155 PS commercial crab license holders is another story.

With sport crabbers PS endorsements increasing, staff should be interested and focused on correcting the imbalance of allocation that is now in the commercial crabbers favor.

UP to now, some WDFW staff protecting and defending the 155 PS commercial crab license holders is another story.


and the restaurant and seafood retail industry's..Who are behind the scene quietly swinging a large baseball bat.. The 155 fisherman are just fruit pickers for the wine industry so to speak.

Just keep in mind that even if recreational crabbers were to take 50% of the State's share of P.S. crab the percentage of crab taken in Washington and available to the commercial market place would still be around 90% considering that virtually all tribal as well as coastal non-tribal harvest goes to market. Recreational harvest outside of Puget Sound is virtually nil compared to commercial (tribal and non-tribal).

My wife and I sent in our e-mails today.

I hope that the commission realize that there is already a RCW that they are up to this point really negligent on and I hope they rectify this year on PS crab management.
Which is:
The commission shall attempt to maximize the public recreational game fishing and hunting opportunities of all citizens, including juvenile, disabled, and senior citizens.

WDFW Authority: RCW 77.04.012
Wildlife, fish and shellfish are the property of the state. The commission, director and the department shall preserve, protect, perpetuate and manage the wildlife and food fish, game fish and shellfish in state waters and offshore waters.
The department shall conserve the wildlife fish, game fish and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource. In a manner consistent with this goal, the department shall seek to maintain the economic well-being and stability of the fishing industry in the state. The department shall promote orderly fisheries and shall enhance and improve recreational and commercial fishing in this state.
The commission may authorize the taking of wildlife, food fish, game fish and shellfish only at times or places, or in manners or quantities, as in the judgment of the commission does not impair the supply of these resources.
The commission shall attempt to maximize the public recreational game fishing and hunting opportunities of all citizens, including juvenile, disabled, and senior citizens.
Recognizing that the management of our state wildlife, food fish, game fish and shellfish resources depends heavily on the assistance of volunteers, the department shall work cooperatively with volunteer groups and individuals to achieve the goals of the title to the greatest extent possible.
Nothing in this title shall be construed to infringe on the right of a private property owner to control the owner’s private property.

Bump.
Look up a couple of posts and send those emails in.

Yep, I sent mine, even using the CCA letter as a "Starting Point", hey AuntyM, I do PAY my CCA dues even when I have heartburn about some of their activities or lack thereof. And I used my COF email distribution list to encourage other to follow suit.

John, you did good work and your efforts are one reason this has been done........Thanks.......Chuck G

Any reports????? What was the attendance like??? Testimony??

A short report.

The crab meeting in Olympia at the Natural Resource Building room was packed Saturday. No surprises, the commercial crowd showed up along with a good showing of sports. Even though it is nice to have a good showing of sportsmen, it is always good to see more, and yesterday would have been that day. Even though I believe that all the topics that the sportsmen wanted out on the table were brought up. The commercials tried to paint the picture that 6% of crab allocated to the sport crabbers in the state of WA is a huge number. I stated to the commission if you think that 6 % is a huge number then what do you think the sportsmen think when 94% of the crab is allocated and commercially caught in state of WA.

The sky is falling was a repetitive theme of the commercials.

Thx for the report.

What I have never figured out is why when the courts with Boldt mandated tribal commercial fisheries, that Washington State tried to maintain the traditional commercials. ( non tribal ) Oh you get the usual the legislature yadda yadda.....but within the agencies has always been a determined effort to maintain these fisheries despite the fact that they COST the economy and citizens far more than the value.

Once upon a time it was a race thing to be sure, but now? Nah don't buy that. All BS aside to continue the current harvest regimes in fish, crabs, anything really is to continue to march in lock step right off a cliff.

Now you want to talk stupid ? You got it.

Would have been a lot more people without the salmon and Tuna derby going on.

There was one LE report on some guys that were selling crab and they managed to earn a lot. They were finally caught. Lost the gear, boat, and did jail time. One of the crabbers owns a restaurant and claims to have several folks try to sell him crab. None of the examples were followed by any statements regarding a report and arrest of the sellers.
(But sport crabbers are cast as outlaws, while the commercials, feed the mommas and the baby crab and throw them back.) Really enjoyed the guy who testified after lunch. Said sport crabbers arent sport. He said sport crabbers need to use a rod and reel. Ive done that, but not overnight. Also chased them around the shallows with a rake. Basturds run sideways too fast.

About the only way for some of them to make up the difference is to reduce the amount of boats or raise prices. Some of them fish for salmon too, which makes me wonder what other options they have.

Aunty -
I occurs to me that the next set of information we need to have in hand to argue our case is what portion of the commercial crab catch is sold out of state. I find it hard to believe that to get the best price for their crab that a significant number are sold out of state.

If indeed crab is being sold in non-Washington markets how is that making them available to the Washingtonians?

Tight lines
Curt

Smalma the commission was interested in that too. The states response was that inter/intrastate is difficult to track because the brokers don't want to give out the info. The export is easier because the laws in place to trace it.

Part of the commercial pitch was that we recreational crabbers, in addition to being poachers and thieves and elitists and non-sport fishers (because sport fishers should use hook and line and NOT the type of gear used by commercial) and we all crab from our big, expensive boats (remember the elitist label), was that we represent only a small portion of the State population and to take away from the commercial catch is to reduce the amount of crab to the rest of the population. Need to take note that they also did not want to include any discussion of the coastal harvest which is virtually all commercial.

I was disappointed that none of our recreational retail suppliers testified (that I can recall) although both Ed's Surplus and Outdoor Emporium were at the JLARC hearing when the SAO's crab program audit report was presented. That said, I don't recall any of the wholesale or retail seafood folks being in attendance yesterday either.

In a side conversation after the meeting one Commissioner stated that he had heard that Washington caught crab was being sold to Canadian firm(s) due to prices being higher. I hope that can only occur after it has been landed in Washington and properly reported to the WDFW. I personally saw Dungeness crab dinners being advertised on a beach billboard in Biloxi MS this past Spring for $19.99 and another CCA member reported seeing it in Florida and confirmed that it was supplied out of Washington.

Well, if thats the case, less crab and the prices go up and the crabbers get the same amount of money. Some people are priced out of the market. Id be very surprised if no crab is thrown out for spoilage.

Lower demand in the state by the amount of increased sport catch and the export market will fulfill its demand.

The surimi market wont care.