The Emerald Empire Chapter of the Northwest Steelheaders is a local group of sportsmen who share one passion, fishing. We are sport anglers dedicated to restoring and enhancing Salmon, Trout, and Steelhead populations and their habitats for present and future generations. Our membership enjoys sharing that passion with others, learning from others about our sport, and giving back to our local community so that future generations may enjoy this wonderful sport of fishing. We meet regularly to share and learn more about that common interest. For the past 18 years, our chapter has been dedicat
ed to the raising of winter steelhead at our Letz Creek Hatchery for release into the Siuslaw River drainage. We believe giving back to our community so that future generations may enjoy this sport is a necessity. Yearly, our club participates in worthwhile events, such as Big Brother – Big Sister Fish-a-Long, Willamette River Cleanup, Learn the River trips on local rivers, and educational partnershipwith our local schools. If any, or all of these sound like something you would like to become involved with, please join us for our next monthly meeting.
When: 1st Wednesday of each month
What time: 7:00 pm (6 pm for no-host dinner)
Where: Eugene Eagles #275 FOE 1375 Irving Rd Eugene, OR
>>>Holiday Pizza Gathering – a Fundraiser at Pappy’s Pizzeria
The Emerald Empire Chapter will have its’ December meeting at Pappy’s Pizzeria on Barger Dr. in Eugene. This is the fourth year we have held this event which is not only a nice holiday gathering for members, but a fund raiser for the the chapter. The proceeds from this year’s event will benefit science classes from Shasta Middle School. These students will be visiting Letz Creek in January/February for some “hands-on” experience spawning winter steelhead. Simply print out the flyer (see attachment below) and bring it with you on Wed. Dec. 7th. The Emerald Empire Chapter will receive 50% of the purchases that evening.
Pappy’s Pizzeria Flyer
(Click on the Pappy’s link to download the benefit flyer)
First Spawning with Shasta Middle School Students a Great Success
After months of planning and preparation with Shasta Middle School teachers, our first spawning field trip with 6th grade studen
s was a great success. The weather cooperated by giving us a beautiful sunny day… and everyone knows there’s not a prettier place in the Willamette Valley than Letz Creek. Twenty five smiling students along with there teacher, parent chaperones and bus driver showed up for a day of spawning activities and riparian study. Though the early fish return was low due to unusually warm and dry weather, we were able to spawn 5 hens & 3 bucks as part of the days activities. Our second field trip is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 23rd. We can always use plenty of eager Emerald Empire Chapter volunteers!
PLEASE ACT NOW TO SAVE OUR FISHING!
We all know that moving the gillnet fleet out of the mainstem Columbia River is long overdue. But it won’t happen without your support. On Thursday March 24 at 3 p.m., your presence is needed at the Oregon State Capitol for a historic moment. Click HERE for map. The Senate Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources will be hearing testimony on Senate Bill 736 also known as SAFE for Salmon. SB 736 is a policy shift to protect bycatch mortality on wild fish, reduce hatchery strays into native spawning areas, increase sportfishing catch, and benefit Oregon’s economy by providing a more consistent sportfishing season, more jobs, and providing tens of thousands of fish annually to the commercial fishery and public through terminal fisheries in what are known as SAFE area fisheries. SB 736 grows sport fishing while providing fish to commercials and providing better conservation to wild stocks. It is vital to our fishing heritage and conservation mission that you voice support for SB 736 NOW! Please RSVP with your name address and phone number to Government Affairs Director Norm Ritchie at normritchie@q.com. We will help you schedule an appointment with your legislator prior to the meeting, if you wish! You can tell them face-to-face how important protecting out wild fish stocks and how stable, meaningful fisheries are to Oregon’s economy. If you do nothing else, contact your state Senator and committee members in Salem and ask them to support SB 736 for jobs in Oregon and better conservation. You can find your Oregon Senator by clicking HERE. Senator Floyd Prozanski Party: D District: 4 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1704 District Phone: 541-342-2447 Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-417, Salem, OR, 97301 District Office Address: PO Box 11511, Eugene, OR, 97440 Email: sen.floydprozanski@state.or.us Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/prozanski Write a short note of support, today to your Senator and to the members of the Environment and Natural Resource Committee. Stay positive, professional and in support of SB 736. Be sure to put your name, address and phone number in your communications with legislators. SB 736 has 23 legislators signed on. These are Senators and Representatives, Democrats and Republicans, experienced leaders and new members alike, all in support of better fishery management policies for Oregon! Schedule an appointment with your representative, show up on March 24th for the hearing, or contact your representatives to save our fishing! Click HERE for copy of this historic policy bill, and HERE for a fact sheet about SB 736. We will help those of you who want to testify. Just let us know. Your key message is that this will protect fish while providing a consistent sport fishery and a continued commercial harvest. The sport fishery is part of our Oregon heritage and an economic engine that will expand business opportunity and jobs in the region. If you testify, it’s best you deliver this message in about two minutes as time is limited and there will be a number of people wanting to testify. Contact Government Affairs Director Norm Ritchie at normritchie@q.comor (503) 807-7729 for assistance with testimony. If you can make the hearing on March 24, please RSVP and bring your friends and family. This is an enormous opportunity to dramatically increase sportfishing seasons and catch, protect wild fish, and help the Oregon economy. PLEASE ACT NOW!!!
Talking points
By moving the non-tribal commercial gillnet fleet into these off-channel, SAFE areas, important sport fishing seasons would be expanded and with those seasons significant and meaningful economic benefits to rural communities, the sportfishing industry, hotels, boat dealers, equipment manufacturers, boat builders, restaurants and fishing guides would all be realized. SAFE for Salmon will end bycatch mortality by the nontribal commercial fishery in the mainstem Columbia, meaning more wild spawners in the Columbia River and its tributaries. The intent of this bill is not to ban gillnetting in the Columbia River. These SAFE areas have proved to be viable and were originally recommended by the federal government to move the commercial gillnet fleet out of the main stem Columbia and into these off-channel areas. . SAFE areas are currently in use and producing well. Last year’s spring Chinook harvest in the SAFE areas yielded almost 24,000 salmon for the commercial gillnet fleet. This level of harvest makes the SAFE areas an unconditional success. The Columbia River Treaty Tribes are assured their catch through US v. Oregon. Additionally, they have received even greater assurances through a “catch-balancing” agreement with the states that applies additional harvest buffers to the sport and commercial fleet so the tribes get the fish they have been promised. A 2009 study by Southwick & Associates, one of the preeminent firms in the nation in fisheries and wildlife economics, indicated that the implementation of SAFE For Salmon would “represent an increase of 56.5% over the levels of expenditures that actually occurred. Each year anglers would have spent approximately $11.6 million more…As a result of the additional angler expenditures, 179 additional jobs would have been supported each year, along with $3.0 million in additional state and local tax revenues.” The study goes on to say, “It is important to note that equipment expenses such as boats, rods and reels, tackle, etc., are not included…Therefore, only travel-related expenditures such as food, fuel, lodging, etc., are included in this analysis. To the degree that equipment sales would increase, the results reported here are an underestimate and can be considered conservative.
