Three counties collaborate for fishery policy input

Nine County Commissioners from Wahkiakum, Clatsop, and Pacific counties met Monday at the Wahkiakum County courthouse to discuss fish policy for the lower Columbia region.

The commissioners are finalizing a white paper to describe how they hope the state will approach fish policy in the future for the lower Columbia region. They plan to send the report on to their state representatives for their next legislative sessions.

“We want the state fishing commission to see us as a team," said Pacific County Commissioner John Kaino.

All the commissioners agreed their counties had a vested interest in making their voices heard at the state level.

Commissioners also agreed that state officials would benefit from a trip to the area to learn about the controversies as well as the actual problems the commercial and sport fishing groups are having on the lower Columbia.

“Just imagine if the state’s fishery commission actually got together and came down here to learn something,” Clatsop Commissioner Patricia Roberts said sarcastically. The board chuckled.

The group also agreed they wanted their prospective states to reconsider fish allocations on both the upper and lower Columbia.

Wahkiakum Commissioner Lisa Marsyla said she thought the board’s policy paper should include the statement, “We support the equitable distribution of salmon in our geographical location.”

The commissioners all agreed it was their intention to prioritize their policy statement in ways that will make it clear to state lawmakers that their counties support the participation of all stakeholders in establishing fish policy and that fish allocations should be fair.

The draft agreement also states that the Columbia river salmon is a resource that should be enjoyed by all and that in addition to the fishermen, the commissioners also support the processing, distribution and commercial marketing of the product because the entire package has a multiplying economic effect on communities along the river.