A4
THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, SEpTEmbER 16, 2021
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
SHANNON ARLINT
Circulation manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
production manager
CARL EARL
Systems manager
GUEST COLUMN
Seize this historic opportunity
orld-class salmon fisheries
like Buoy 10 at the mouth of
the Columbia River, nearby
ocean fishing and inland river trips all
draw tens of thousands of salmon and
steelhead fishermen and women to our
area year after year.
It would be a challenge to find any
one of Astoria’s and Warrenton’s busi-
nesses that is not, in
some way, impacted by
salmon fishing. Famed
fisheries such as ours are
among the crown jew-
els in what has become a
$5 billion industry span-
ning the vast Columbia
BOB
River basin across parts
REES
of Oregon, Washington
state and Idaho.
So, it’s impossible
to imagine that fisher-
ies at the heart of what
was historically the
most prolific salmon
and steelhead producer
the world has ever seen
JASON
could come under threat.
ERICKSON
But we’d be fools to
assume they couldn’t,
and even worse if we shirked our
responsibilities to protect these mighty
fisheries.
The salmon returns we’re fortunate
to have today are small fractions of
those from decades ago. And impacts
from dams, development and climate
change all are realities that will continue
to increase the urgency of our respon-
sibilities as stewards. It is in all of our
best interests to meet those challenges
head-on, informed by the best science
and guided by strong leadership.
Oregon has a long-standing tradi-
tion of standing up for Columbia basin
salmon and steelhead, and we’re thank-
ful that tradition continues, from Salem
to Washington, D.C. Oregon has con-
sistently, over 30 years, held federal
agencies to account to produce a legal
plan that doesn’t run the Columbia
and Snake river main stem dams at the
expense of our fish, even when Oregon
stood alone.
We applaud Gov. Kate Brown for
continuing that tradition of leadership,
and for showing the political courage
and vision to support a comprehensive,
W
Hailey Hoffman/The Astorian
A fisherman wades out into the Columbia River.
basinwide plan that includes remov-
ing the four federal dams on the lower
Snake River. Science tells us these dams
must go to recover Snake River salmon
and steelhead.
As businessmen, we recognize that
any recovery plan must include the
actions and investments necessary
to replace the energy and agriculture
capacity those dams provide. U.S. Rep.
Mike Simpson, an Idaho Republican,
and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Ore-
gon Democrat, have spoken up together
about the need for such a plan. We urge
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Sen. Jeff
Merkley — both Oregon Democrats —
and others in the Northwest delegation
to seize this historic opportunity and
secure funding and put such a plan into
motion now, during this Congress.
Lower Snake dam removal is not a
cure-all. But the science could not be
any clearer on the lower Snake dams:
salmon and steelhead cannot recover
with those four dams in place. If trends
continue and the dams remain, salmon
and steelhead populations will continue
their slide to extinction. Many critical
populations already teeter on the brink.
Lower Snake dam removal gives these
fish their last best chance at a come-
back, period.
Dam removal will more than double
the spring Chinook swimming upriver
and will create a whole new Hanford
reach for fall Chinook, like those that
sustain our fall fisheries here in town.
And we know that the thousands of
people on our river, and the hundreds of
guides landing salmon at Buoy 10, want
to preserve these fisheries to keep us all
fishing for generations to come. From
Astoria to Riggins, Idaho, salmon mean
business. We cannot afford the cost of
inaction — not in Astoria, not in the
Pacific Northwest, nor in this country.
Do you want to be the generation
that allowed salmon, our “king of fish,”
our red gold, our icon, to go extinct? We
sure don’t.
While we tend to think of ourselves
as their caretakers here where the river
meets the ocean, the salmon and steel-
head traveling by belong to all of us.
With enough of us sharing the responsi-
bility across this vast landscape, we can
ensure a strong salmon and steelhead
legacy that continues for generations to
come — for Astoria, the North Coast
and the entire Columbia basin.
Senators Wyden and Merkley, will
you join us? Will you act?
bob Rees is the executive director of
the Northwest Guides and Anglers Asso-
ciation. Jason Erickson is the owner of
Astoria bait and Tackle.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Texas Taliban
he news out of Texas for me is sad
but not surprising ... age helps.
Abortion will never be eliminated, only
made inconvenient and more bloody in
some cases, especially for the young
and those without resources or help and
quickly taken advantage of.
A Texas-Taliban approach, based
on control, forces us to ask how at six
weeks pregnant this will be enforced. Do
we look at menstrual pads? Check the
toilet for unusual blood clots? And while
there look for coffee or alcohol — both
associated with miscarriages or sponta-
neous abortion. Also reduce all possible
stress. No horseback riding or running,
simply stay in bed safe if your cycle is
irregular or call the Texas Taliban for
instructions.
Women are not to be trusted to make
good choices. Cover them, confuse them
and control them. It works for awhile
until it doesn’t.
So we’re glad to be out of Afghan-
istan to be able to focus on those
closer to home ...Texas. No place
away ...women undeterred only
underestimated.
Yes, this is not new for women. Try-
ing to control and cover up women’s
bodies with restrictive legislation or bur-
kas feels the same. Not allowing women
their place, a place that could help
restore balance in an unstable world.
Women now watching the future of
the Taliban — and Texas — but women
do not lose track of the continuum and
the cycles our bodies connect with.
Men might fear this inherent knowl-
edge, but cannot quite cover it up. It
spills over and the river flows.
LYNNE FARRAR
Astoria
T
Cold and rain?
n reference to the proposed multi-
ple-use building by members of Beth-
any Free Lutheran Church, there are
multiple gyms and playgrounds in the
Astoria area that are unused a lot of the
time.
When is the last time you’ve seen any
children playing outside in the cold and
I
LETTERS WELCOME
Letters should be exclusive to The
Astorian. Letters should be fewer
than 250 words and must include the
writer’s name, address and phone
number. You will be contacted to
confirm authorship. All letters are
subject to editing for space, gram-
mar and factual accuracy. Only two
letters per writer are allowed each
month. Letters written in response
rain? The ones I see are all inside play-
ing on their video games and cellphones.
Also, to Kevin Goin, teacher and
varsity basketball coach at Astoria
High School, please take a look at the
to other letter writers should address
the issue at hand and should refer to
the headline and date the letter was
published. Discourse should be civil.
Send via email to editor@dailyasto-
rian.com, online at bit.ly/astorianlet-
ters, in person at 949 Exchange St.
in Astoria or mail to Letters to the
Editor, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR.,
97103.
All-Americans, the All-Staters and Hall
of Famers — including your dad — that
played outside in all kinds of weather;
where a makeshift backboard and hoop
hung on power and telephone poles;
where you honed your skills before you
ever got to play in a nice, warm facility.
Sincerely, a proud neighbor and
friend of the Bethany Lutheran congre-
gation for 88 years!
VINCENT TADEI
Astoria
Holding their breath
o it looks to me that, in general,
things are working out like this: The
Democrats are obeying the perfectly
legal and rational mandates, getting vac-
cinated and wearing masks. The Repub-
licans and their governors are holding
their breath until they turn blue.
Hmmm. And then ...?
JOSEPH WEBB
Astoria
S