Bills 1722, 1245, and a number of other bills, that are aimed at dismantling I -594 and clarifying firearms law related language, that I am trying to move through are being held up by Laurie Jinkins, the chair of the house Judiciary committee.

Would I like her to hold a hearing? Yup. Will she? Nope.
That is unfortunately how our legislative system works. If you aren't happy with it, change it.

From today's inbox....

Regarding HB 1660, I do not support it. Puget Sound has had "sports priority" for chinook and coho for nearly twenty years and in talking with fisherman locally none have declared they were pulling their lines out of the water to head for better opportunities in Puget Sound. I was talking with Joe Superfisky the other night and he declared that his salmon guiding season was the best fishing of his lifetime. I do not support bringing failed Puget Sound management to our coastal rivers. Sincerely Brian Blake

.

Just like a politician to make an apples to oranges comparison into a bull$hit smoothie that goes down like 12-year Scotch.

Can you tell he's been at this for a few terms?

Enemy of sport fishing though he may be, as others have said, Blake's pretty good overall, which is probably more than could be said for any replacement. Getting him out of office will only make room for the next guy to have his palms greased by the same interests, resulting in more of the same (and maybe worse on other community issues). It WOULD make room for a new Natural Resources chair, but the same folks who put Blake there will see to it the new chair is pro-commercial. Remember - those guys and gals get gifts from the same special interests.

Pay these folks like the attorneys and business types they are, get rid of private funding for elections, and watch the bad legislation fade away. That's my dream.

And more to chew on.

Court of Appeals dismisses challenge to Columbia River gillnet reforms efforts on track to remove destructive gear from Lower Columbia, improve local economy

A policy to remove non-tribal gillnets from the mainstem of the Columbia River moved another step closer to implementation this week with the Washington Court of Appeal’s opinion affirming the Thurston County District Court’s dismissal of a lawsuit filed by commercial gillnet interests challenging the policy.

The gillnet policy, adopted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife in January 2013, seeks to remove non-tribal gillnets from the mainstem of the lower Columbia River and restrict them to off-channel areas where this non-selective form of gear would encounter and kill fewer wild and endangered fish. The policy also anticipates the implementation of selective commercial fishing gears for mainstem commercial fisheries. Commercial gillnet interests have sought to overturn the policy since its adoption in both Washington and Oregon.

“Our region is already seeing the economic, conservation and social benefits of this policy, which is still in the transition period,” said Nello Picinich, Executive Director of CCA Washington. “As this policy is fully implemented it will generate tens of millions in economic value, jobs, revenue to fund the enhancement of our fisheries, and improved conservation of our wild salmon and steelhead populations.”

In 2012-2013, both the Washington and Oregon Fish and Wildlife commissions adopted a plan proposed by Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber that prioritizes recreational fisheries in the mainstem of the Columbia River and eliminates the use of non-tribal gillnets in the lower Columbia’s mainstem after a transition period ending in 2017.
The Governor’s plan was offered in the wake of CCA’s successful efforts to put a gill net ban initiative on the Oregon ballot. However, unlike the ballot initiative, Gov. Kitzhaber 's plan resulted in both states adopting a plan that eliminates the use of non-selective gill nets.

“The policy has now withstood two legal challenges in Washington, but that doesn’t mean the gillnet lobby won’t try again to derail it now and in the future,” said Picinich. “We would be wise to note that a net ban in Florida was briefly overturned last year after more than two decades on the books. We will have to remain vigilant to defend this landmark reform.”

Currently, a similar challenge to the gillnet rules adopted by ODFW is awaiting a decision from the Oregon Court of Appeals.

And the link to the Senate Companion Bill

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5844&year=2015

After Brian Blake says he opposes 1660, he tells me he hopes I support HB1563, I couldn't find any info on it...

Here you go. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1563 Her you go.

Why? Because it might actually work? IT'S NEVER BEEN TRIED NOR GIVEN THE CHANCE ON THE COAST!!

I received the same reply when I sent my comments.

Well, I REMEMBER the mid 70's.......275+ charter boats working out of Westport.....people from all over the world coming to fish. $$$$$$$$ was being spent on everything. Some boats making 2 or 3 trips some days. Rivers in the area were fished LOTS.

It would work.....but I'd have to change my choice of fish areas!!!!

Why did I read this fuckin' thread?

Support of HB 1660 that went to the South Coast Legislators.

As an out-of-state sport salmon fishing enthusiast, I support passage of HB 1660. I encourage you to also support this bill!

I encourage the State of Washington to develop and maintain a world class sport salmon fishery. It would be good for the economy of your coastal communities. For the past 15 years I have been coming to Washington from Colorado to sport fish for salmon at various locations along the coast of your State. Initially, I would spend over 3 months every summer starting at Snow Creek (near Neah Bay) then moving to Grays Harbor (Westport), and then onto Willapa Bay (Tokeland) before heading home to Colorado in late September. However, as the commercial fishery took priority over sport fishing in Washington State I have reduced my days fishing and traveling in your State.

In 2014, I spent about 7 days fishing salmon in Washington. All of these days were fishing out of Tokeland. I now spend most of my salmon fishing dollars in British Columbia and Alaska. However, I would much prefer to keep my salmon fishing dollars in the State of Washington. Passage of HB 1066 would be a great step in again making Washington a national salmon fishing destination.

I also encourage you to support the development of Willapa Bay into a world class Chinook Salmon sport fishery! I would like someone to show me a more productive and safe Chinook salmon fishing area than Willapa Bay. I don't believe such a place exists. From my perspective, the Willapa Bay Commercial salmon harvest is the primary road block to the development of Willapa Bay into a world class sport fishing destination. Do you remember when Westport was the Salmon Fishing Capital of the World! I do! At that time, small business in and around Westport were booming.

Thanks!

DW,

I keep trying to finance more charter boats for people to fish. Not enough people have sufficient capital to build new boats at $500-1,000,000 each and there are only so many 43'-50' Delta Delta's out there at $200-350,000 each in fishable condition that will pass CG inspection.

If you find me boats and people with sufficient capital to buy them, I'll finance every one that is a viable deal. I've financed three boats in the past 30 days, but it is all churn within the existing fleet. No new boats from out of the area.

Blake has probably stated that so many times, he is starting to believe his own propaganda.

Why would commercial boat owners in Blake’s district want to come to PS when they catch 93% of the take in Willapa? Leaving not only crumbs there to sport fishers, but also crumbs to sport fishers in Blake’s backyard, the many various rivers in the Chehalis River Basin. These rivers not only have crumbs left but also rarely meet escapement goals.

Believe it or not, there was a time when I would actually travel and spent days and $$ to fish in those area rivers and also in Tokeland. Those times of local businesses getting my tourist buck have long gone and in some cases, some businesses are long gone themselves. I’m not the only one that changed locations to spend those dollars. AZ& NV get a majority of my fishing bucks now.

I could see where this bill could help in some of the economic depressed areas in this state that has fish to be caught.

+1
My $$ are heading out of state also.

This e mail thread was forwarded to me so I thought I would put it up. Two things come to mind. First it was descent of Rep Blake to respond in a frank manner directly to the gentleman a most of our elected folks do not do that. Secondly is I think it is safe to say that any Rec fisher worth their salt would call BS on Rep. Blakes views that appear to be locked in not recent past but last century!



From:
To: "
Sent: Saturday, February 7, 2015 2:18:34 AM
Subject: Fwd: Support HB 1660

FYI, here is some correspondence I received from Brian Blake. Clearly he has some personal views that will likely prevent HB 1660 from moving forward. I am new to the fishing game however his logic seems quite flawed and unsubstantiated to say the least. How someone (in this case a strong political leader) could compare the dynamics of South Puget Sound Salmon fishing to that of Willapa and Chehalis is beyond me. I guess this just goes to show how our political system, in many cases, only serves to perpetuate and muddy many of our already complex environmental and social problems.

Thanks!




Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Blake, Rep. Brian" <Brian.Blake@leg.wa.gov>
Date: February 6, 2015 at 20:16:45 PST
To: Dave Ragsdale
Subject: RE: Support HB 1660

Yes I am saying that sport fishing for salmon in Washington State will be worse off if HB 1660 were to become law. Puget Sound has had the sports priority called for in the legislation for twenty years and I do not want the piss poor chinook and coho fishing that occurs now in Puget Sound to become the norm in my fishing areas. Willapa sport fishing was off the charts this year, my local guide friends had spectacular salmon seasons in the Chehalis basin, B-10 was off the charts this year for sportfishing. Why bring failed Puget Sound management to these fisheries?

From:
Sent: Friday, February 6, 2015 8:00 PM
To: Blake, Rep. Brian
Subject: Re: Support HB 1660

Thank you for your reply.

I am not sure exactly how to take your response. Are you implying that the application of a recreational priority in the state of Washington will produce the same recreational opportunities that we have in Puget Sound? I may have interpreted your response incorrectly but it sounds like you are not in support of HB 1660?

Thanks for your time!

David



On Fri, Feb 6, 2015 at 7:47 PM, Blake, Rep. Brian <Brian.Blake@leg.wa.gov> wrote:
David, you have “sports priority” in Puget Sound now and I don’t believe it has produced better outcomes for us sports fishermen. Sincerely Brian Blake

From:
Sent: Friday, February 6, 2015 7:40 PM
To: Blake, Rep. Brian; Takko, Rep. Dean; Hatfield, Sen. Brian
Subject: Support HB 1660

Please support HB 1660. It's time to put an end to DFW's historical bias against recreational fishers and at the same time, stop subsidizing commercial gillnetters out of the wallets of taxpayers and recreational fishers that are stuck footing the bill.

Thanks!

Here is a copy of the email I sent to Rep. Blake. I CC Rep. Liz Pike as well.

Representative Blake,

Recently there has been a lot of internet traffic and interest on many of the Web forums regarding HB1660.

You need only do a search on these to see that HB1660 has overwhelming support from the sport fishing community, which holds a large majority of state citizens who are stake holders in this issue.

It has also come to light (and has been posted) that you are opposed to this bill, and responded with reasoning like this:
“Yes I am saying that sport fishing for salmon in Washington State will be worse off if HB 1660 were to become law. Puget Sound has had the sports priority called for in the legislation for twenty years and I do not want the piss poor chinook and coho fishing that occurs now in Puget Sound to become the norm in my fishing areas. Willapa sport fishing was off the charts this year, my local guide friends had spectacular salmon seasons in the Chehalis basin, B-10 was off the charts this year for sportfishing. Why bring failed Puget Sound management to these fisheries?”

You surely understand that the Sport Fishing community is a little better informed than that?

To justify your opposition to this bill with reasoning like that is ridicules. Have you even bothered to consult with the DFW biologist regarding the decline in salmon returns to the Puget Sound?

The time has come, both environmentally and economically for the State to move on this bill.

Your opposition and apparent move to stall this bill is shameful. Consider the economic impact that a robust sport fishing culture would have in your district. Short term there may be some adjustments in the transitions away from a commercial gill netting based economy, but in the long term your “guide friends” will be very thankful to you for your future thinking support!

I'm sure the buggy whip manufactures felt much the same way as you do. But Rep. Blake, it is time to stop being a road block to the future and betterment of the State.

We, the huge Sport Fishing community, ask you to have the courage to support this bill, and demand you allow it to the be voted on!

Fish On!

Perry Menchaca
USA 1SGT (Ret)
Washington State Sport Fishermen since 1974

The gentleman from my previous post forwarded Mr. Blakes response.

From: Brian.Blake@leg.wa.gov

To: bigboattwo@msn.com; Dean.Takko@leg.wa.gov; Brian.Hatfield@leg.wa.gov

Subject: RE: Support HB 1660

Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2015 02:09:48 +0000
I notice that you historically did not spend time fishing for salmon in Puget Sound where Washington State has had the sport priority for twenty years and the salmon fishing is by any measure poor. It is my position that the bill if enacted would lead to the same poor sportfishing opportunities that now occur in Puget Sound to occur in other regions of the State. The Salmon fishing in the Lower Columbia was spectacular this year and Willapa Bay was smoking hot for salmon also. In addition my guide friends in the Grays Harbor/Chehalis river system are reporting their best season ever. We have World class sport fishing here now and I do not intend to allow that to be diminished. Thanks for contacting me.

Sincerely Brian Blake

My thought is that Blake has so many relatives gillnetting Willapa Bay that we don't have a chance with him.

Hope somebody could prove me wrong?

fp

My $$$ is going to BC and Alaska. I used to fish blackmouth a fair amount but that is getting even cut back to. In 2014 I probably fished 10 days in Washington State. 2015 will probably be 0 along with my family members.

Definition:
de•lu•sion
/dlooZHn/ noun
An idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument

What is smoking hot is probably the hot seat Chair Blake finds himself sitting in continually defending his weak position--- using amped up exaggerated rhetoric each passing time he writes.