Dear Concerned Citizen for Reiter Pond Rearing Facility:

Thank you for your correspondence to the Fish Program concerning the continued operation of Reiter Pond Rearing Facility.

Many fishers, as well as Department staff, share your concern about the loss of funding for Reiter Pond and the potential for an associated decrease in summer steelhead fishing opportunity in Puget Sound. I believe it is important that you understand how the Department arrived at its decision to close Reiter Pond and the options we are considering for the future.

In 1993, the former Washington Department of Wildlife, who owned and managed Reiter Pond, was faced with a choice of what facilities to close as a result of budget reductions in their available budget. Because summer steelhead are not indigenous to Puget Sound, this chronically underfunded program at Reiter Pond was identified for closure. However, last minute funding provided by concerned sportsmen forestalled the closure of Reiter Pond for one year. At about the same time, the former Department of Fisheries and Department of Wildlife were merged into one agency; the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

A decision was made after merger to continue operating Reiter Pond by utilizing savings from personnel vacancies and other short term savings in the Hatcheries operating budget. Given the short term nature of these savings and the competing demands for limited state funds in the newly merged agency, Reiter Pond continued to operate as an underfunded activity with short term subsidies and unanticipated personnel vacancies in the Hatcheries Division making up the shortfall each year.

Due to a severe revenue shortfall in Wildlife Funds this past year (1998), it was necessary for the Department to take significant reductions in many priority functions. A total of $7.5 million dollars and over 100 positions were eliminated in order to bring spending in-line with available operating funds. Unfortunately, Reiter Pond was one of several hatcheries whose funding was eliminated.

Even though available funding for Reiter Pond was eliminated July 1, 1998, it continues to operate as a result of temporary locally-provided funding through June 1999.

In developing our 1999-2001 biennium budget, Reiter Pond and other fish production cuts taken as a result of the Wildlife Fund shortfall were considered for inclusion in the budget request to the Governor. In the final analysis, these projects could not be funded under the funding ceiling identified for this budgeting process. Simply put, there were too many other competing issues that were a higher agency priority for the limited level of funds available.

As of this writing, the Governor's budget proposal and subsequent House and Senate actions are still being analyzed for their effect. As soon as our authorized budget level is identified, we will be able to complete the process of determining our specific activities and operating levels within our appropriations. Reiter Pond, as well as many other worthwhile projects, will be given careful consideration in this process which enlists the concerns and recommendations from Fish Program staff statewide.

Again, thank you for your continued concerns. We can assure you that we will work to arrive at the most balanced outcome possible in resolving these tough funding issues. But, as is many times the case, there simply is not enough funding available for all of the projects desired.

Sincerely,

Bruce Crawford
Assistant Director
Fish Program

BC:dr

cc: Kelly White, Chairman, Fish and Wildlife Commission
Jeff Koenings, Director, WDFW
Gene Tillett, Hatcheries Division Manager
Debbie Nelson, Commission Office

Dear Concerned Citizen for Reiter Pond Rearing Facility:

Thank you for your correspondence to the Fish Program concerning the continued operation of Reiter Pond Rearing Facility.

Many fishers, as well as Department staff, share your concern about the loss of funding for Reiter Pond and the potential for an associated decrease in summer steelhead fishing opportunity in Puget Sound. I believe it is important that you understand how the Department arrived at its decision to close Reiter Pond and the options we are considering for the future.

In 1993, the former Washington Department of Wildlife, who owned and managed Reiter Pond, was faced with a choice of what facilities to close as a result of budget reductions in their available budget. Because summer steelhead are not indigenous to Puget Sound, this chronically underfunded program at Reiter Pond was identified for closure. However, last minute funding provided by concerned sportsmen forestalled the closure of Reiter Pond for one year. At about the same time, the former Department of Fisheries and Department of Wildlife were merged into one agency; the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

A decision was made after merger to continue operating Reiter Pond by utilizing savings from personnel vacancies and other short term savings in the Hatcheries operating budget. Given the short term nature of these savings and the competing demands for limited state funds in the newly merged agency, Reiter Pond continued to operate as an underfunded activity with short term subsidies and unanticipated personnel vacancies in the Hatcheries Division making up the shortfall each year.

Due to a severe revenue shortfall in Wildlife Funds this past year (1998), it was necessary for the Department to take significant reductions in many priority functions. A total of $7.5 million dollars and over 100 positions were eliminated in order to bring spending in-line with available operating funds. Unfortunately, Reiter Pond was one of several hatcheries whose funding was eliminated.

Even though available funding for Reiter Pond was eliminated July 1, 1998, it continues to operate as a result of temporary locally-provided funding through June 1999.

In developing our 1999-2001 biennium budget, Reiter Pond and other fish production cuts taken as a result of the Wildlife Fund shortfall were considered for inclusion in the budget request to the Governor. In the final analysis, these projects could not be funded under the funding ceiling identified for this budgeting process. Simply put, there were too many other competing issues that were a higher agency priority for the limited level of funds available.

As of this writing, the Governor's budget proposal and subsequent House and Senate actions are still being analyzed for their effect. As soon as our authorized budget level is identified, we will be able to complete the process of determining our specific activities and operating levels within our appropriations. Reiter Pond, as well as many other worthwhile projects, will be given careful consideration in this process which enlists the concerns and recommendations from Fish Program staff statewide.

Again, thank you for your continued concerns. We can assure you that we will work to arrive at the most balanced outcome possible in resolving these tough funding issues. But, as is many times the case, there simply is not enough funding available for all of the projects desired.

Sincerely,

Bruce Crawford
Assistant Director
Fish Program

BC:dr

cc: Kelly White, Chairman, Fish and Wildlife Commission
Jeff Koenings, Director, WDFW
Gene Tillett, Hatcheries Division Manager
Debbie Nelson, Commission Office

Of course its underfunded. People aren't buying licenses because fishing sucks. All this state cares about is big business. Our state economy is one of the healthest in the nation. They have the funds, they just chose to spend it elsewhere. I hope the Feds chew their *ss about the distruction of the Puget sound runs.
This state needs to overspend(invest)in the future of the salmon, not get by with minimal investment.

Actually they don't even spend all of the money. Our state has a huge budget surplus. Fisheries have become a political tool like the schools are. "If you step on my rich friends toes we'll just have to cut education funds and hurt the children". Every once in a while I read in the paper that Locke wants to try to do away with the commission and place the control of the WDFW back under the governor. Sometimes I feel the powers that be in Olympia want the WDFW to hit rock bottom so that they can justify the governors wish. Anyone read about the land sales by the WDFW? Sounded like a few prime properties were sold for a song. I didn't see any posting of auctions being held did you?

The sad thing is, is the money needed is peanuts in the big picture. What did they say, Reiter needs 87,000$ a year? On a state level that's nothing! And they can't find the money? Anywhere? C'mon!

Once again, I got on the horn to my local representative. There is a special session for the legislature coming up and this is (literally) our last chance to save these programs. Funding could be restored if EVERYONE contacts there local representative. Be polite, but spell it out. Many of them don't fish and really need to be educated about the importance of these programs to us.

Just got the new numbers for Reiter. They
are saying it cost 130,000 now? I think it
is time to put some pressure on these guys
to prove it really cost the state this much.
I mean come on. Mark up at Reiters doesn't make very much. Fish pellets, power, netting, repairs, fuel, Where in the heck do you come up with 130,000. I know that Doug Hatfield was asked to come up with cost figures. Public money?
Don't we have a right to see how it's spent? Lets get them to prove it! It's time for some press and some investigative journalism! I'm sick of this B.S.

I am not great at Math, but if the WDFW understands that fewer opportunities for people who fishmeans less revenue. Painfully logical to me?! We are the customer, right? So sick to see fish hanging in the political balance.

What's that crap about summer steelhead not being indigenous to Puget Sound. What in the hell was Zane Grey fishing for in the N.Fork Stilly/Deer Cr. in the 1930's. Really big rainbows?

What I don't understand is why they won't let us fund the facility with a license plate, tackle tax, or terminal fishery stamp. Car washes, whatever.

I've given up on expecting the state agencies to make the fishing and hunting better in Washington. Right now I'm just hoping for damage control. We have all the same resources B.C and Oregon does except our fishing and hunting sucks compared to theirs. Every new regulation they impose makes less and less sense. Why close the Bubble Fishery last year and reopen it this year in light of the ESA; you know how many Snohomish system summer Kings are caught on that bar? The only place in N Puget Sound you can keep a king? - don't even bother taking your bumpers off when you leave the dock.

Fishery declines have been known about since the early 1900's and they have NOTHING about it. ODFW reports that harvest of Columbia Coho went from 8 million pounds in 1930 to 1/2 million fish in 1960. How many now I wonder?

There has got to be a way to come up with a measly $100,000 to feed and house summer smolts. Come on.

TK

If history repeats itself, Reiter will fall to the wayside and sold to the indians.

The dollar amount isn't what is important to the clowns making decisions here. $150,000 for a fishery with thousands anglers is too much? Please.

The $17 million shortfall they used to oust Bern Shanks was chicken scratch when you consider the huge "rainy day fund" the state was sporting at that time. They could have covered it, chalked it up to "when fishing sucks, and fisheries close, people stop buying licenses and punchcards", and listened to 'ol Bern's ideas for fisheries management, but they didn't. Instead the commercials took the opportunity to peddle their influence in Olympia, and leaned on the spineless WDFW Commisssion, which promptly blamed Shanks and releived him of his duties. These people are a sham.

This is just another example of how the "General Fund" black hole swallows up money, and then weasel politicians decide who gets greased and who gets screwed. This system of appropriations is also a sham.

All I know is $150,000 is far less money than gets spent on a congressional race in this state. If any politician can justify hosing that kind of money away on yard signs and TV spots, but can't see keeping a hatchery open with it, then they are also a sham.

Hope I didn't ramble on too much.......it must be a lack of fishing lately.


Fish on..............

What REALLY pisses me off is the mentality that the WDFW has to operate on a break even basis! Anyone know of another government agency that breaks even? They won't even raise the rates on our state ferries so that they break.

Maybe we need to start talking about Taking our license fees and tax related dollars back our of the general fund and put it directly to the WFW. This is the way it used to be and there was always enought monies to go around then. I realize things are more expensive now but the licenses then were cheap.

I read not long ago that the fishing and hunting industrys in this state was one of the top ten producers of revenue for the state(includes related taxes on gear etc.). Let's start talking to our reps. about getting our money back. The people that are allocating our money(and it is our money) have no idea what we,re doning out here. I sent an E-mail to Kathy Lambert about Rieter and she answered back on the recovery of Salmon.

Fishermen Unite

You got it right! EVERYBODY email your reps. It takes about 3 min. to do. Then save that email address in your address book for later use. They should not be cutting funds. If anything they should increase them. How are you going to fix something by deceasing the money? Maybe I'm a 43 year old dinosaur, doesn't anybody remember what it was like 20 years ago? Hooknose silvers at Possession bar? Cedar river feb. natives, Skagit was king of the rivers? how many hatcheries have been shut down since the Boldt decision?(I know some of the Indian hatchries do quite well.)
We can't get it all back I know but we should atleast enhance what we can. Get those emails out.

ps I keep asking them to post answers on this board. They never do, I wonder why?

[This message has been edited by Bruce (edited 05-03-99).]

Revised letter.
Dear Concerned Citizen for Reiter Pond Rearing Facility:

Recently, the Department wrote a letter explaining the reasons that led to the decision to close Reiter Pond. In the letter, it was stated that one of the criteria for deciding to close Reiter Pond was because summer steelhead are not indigenous to Puget Sound. As many steelhead enthusiasts have pointed out since reading the letter, this is not a correct statement. It should have said "summer steelhead at Reiter Ponds are a mixture of Skamania and Skykomish stock and therefore are not considered a genetically distinct stock." I apologize for the error in our earlier letter.

The Department acknowledges that summer steelhead are indigenous to Puget Sound. Our 1992 Washington State Salmon and Steelhead Stock Inventory (SASSI) delineates what is currently known about "native" summer steelhead in Washington. Specifically, Appendix One identifies the native summer steelhead stocks in North Puget Sound and includes the South Fork Nooksack River stock; Finney Creek and Sauk River stocks (Cascade River stock origin unknown) in the Skagit River system; Deer Creek stock (Canyon Creek summer stock is a mixture of native and non-native stocks) in the Stillaguamish River system; and the Tolt River and North Fork Skykomish River in the Snohomish River system.

Our decision to close Reiter Pond and the reasons that led us to that decision remain unchanged. As I mentioned in the previous letter, as soon as our authorized budget level is identified, we will be able to complete the process of determining our specific activities and operating levels within our appropriations. Reiter Pond, as well as many other worthwhile projects, will be given careful consideration in this process which enlists the concerns and recommendations from Fish Program staff statewide.

Thank you for your interest and support of the fisheries of Washington.

Sincerely,

Bruce Crawford
Assistant Director
Fish Program

BC:dr