I’m writing in regards to the power the commercial gillnetting association has on the Columbia River. The coho salmon run starts up the Columbia in the middle of September, traveling an average of eight to 10 miles a day from the mouth. In approximately seven days, it can reach Longview-Woodland area. The problem the sportsman has is that the Columbia River Compact has let the nets go in every week for two days from Sept. 29 through Oct. 20. The sportsmen get the days between each netting and of course there are no fish left to catch. It certainly appears the commercial industry has lobbyists hard at work. My question is: What in comparison do the gillnetters put into the local community like the sportsman do?
The Columbia is one of the few rivers in our country that allows gillnetting and it needs to stop.
Roger Burton
Vancouver
