“Today is a great day to be a wild fish in the Sandy River."

Huge news just in from the Native Fish Society.

Dear Members and Supporters,

It gives me immeasurable pleasure to begin my day by informing you that late yesterday afternoon, Native Fish Society was victorious in its lawsuit on the Sandy River hatchery.  In short, it was a decisive victory.

The judge (Haggerty) said:  “It is undisputed that hatchery operations can pose a host of risks to wild fish…it is clear that the Sandy River Basin is of particular importance to the recovery of the four [Endangered Species Act] listed species and is an ecologically critical area.”  He said that the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policies Act when it approved the State of Oregon’s management of the Sandy River Hatchery.

As you may recall, we, along with Eugene-based McKenzie Fly Fishers, sued NMFS in a last ditch effort to prevent the extinction of Chinook, steelhead and coho in the Sandy River.  The State of Oregon had received NMFS’ blessing under the Endangered Species Act to continue to drown the river with over a million hatchery fish.  The judge found fault with NMFS because it “treats the success of the [hatchery] programs as a given, an issue called into doubt by ODFW’s miserable track record of containing stray rates.”

On behalf of everyone at Native Fish Society, I want to express our deepest appreciation for your support and confidence in our long pursuit of victory on the Sandy.  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.

As Bill Bakke said, “Today is a great day to be a wild fish in the Sandy River."

Read the press release.

A Reminder to Take Action to Protect Wild Steelhead

In 2004, the Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife challenged the agency to develop a scientific foundation for a Statewide Steelhead Management Plan (SSMP). Thanks to a broad coalition of individiuals and fish advocacy groups the 2008 final draft of that plan called for the establishment of Wild Steelhead Management Zones, or as they are often referred to today, Wild Steelhead Gene Banks. Fast forward to today and YOU now have the opportunity to help establish of three of the Wild Steelhead Gene Banks.

Thanks to the Native Fish Society it will only take you a minute or two to submit your comment on a proposal to eliminate hatchery steelhead plants as early as next year in three Lower Columbia River tributaries (EF Lewis, Green/NF Toutle and Wind Rivers) to support the recovery of wild fish.

Take action now and let the WDFW and NMFS know that you support management actions that implement the best-available science and recover threatened wild steelhead populations in Washington.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!

Deadline for comments is this Friday, December 13th.

Yvon Chouinard message to Bruce Hill

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard couldn't attend the Native Fish Society benefit banquet + auction this year so he sent along this message of congratulations to Bruce Hill who was awarded the 2013 Native Fish Society Lifetime Achievement Award. Bruce Hill has been instrumental in some of British Columbia's biggest conservation victories including the preservation of the Kitlope's old growth forests, the removal of harmful fish farms, and most recently winning a moratorium on all gas exploration in the Sarcred Headwaters of the Skeena, Nass and Stikine Rivers. Thank you Bruce for your incredible work for wild, native fish.

Wild Steelhead Victory!

Some good news from the Native Fish Society

Thanks to continued pressure from our Save Sandy Salmon Campaign, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) suspended its collection of wild winter steelhead this year for its hatchery programs in the Sandy, Clackamas, Santiam, McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette Rivers.

Hundreds of wild steelhead will be free to spawn in their natal streams this spring instead of being captured and spawned artificially to boost hatchery numbers!

The comments in the Oregon Live article are a good read.

Fifteenmile Creek Wild Steelhead Sanctuary Opened to Kill Fishery

Despite testimony in opposition and their mission statement, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to open the Fifteenmile Creek Sanctuary where it joins the Columbia River for tribal fishing.

LINK (via: Home Waters and Wild Fish)

"If life gives you carp, hold a fishing tournament to raise support for wild, native fish."

Ninkasi Brewing, Orvis and Idylwilde are throwing down for Carp-ocalypse, a fly fishing only carp tournament on Banks Lake in Washington to benefit the The Native Fish Society. The tournament entry fee of $25 goes toward protecting wild, native fish.... as opposed to the golden bones that will be slayed that weekend by the likes of Agent Montana.

Carp-ocalypse 2012 takes place August 11 and 12th.

Click here for details