The INDEPENDENT, May 21,1997
Pag© 17
Changes in Northcoast fishing regulations, both good and bad
Oregon’s coastal and low
er Columbia River streams
open for trout fishing on Sat
urday, May 24. That is part of
the good news. The bad news
is that for the first time ever
this fishery is limited to catch
and release only.
This drastic regulation
change is in response to a
very significant drop in sea-
run cutthroat populations
throughout the Pacific North
west. This species is listed as
a State Sensitive Species, is
Federally listed as an Endan
gered Species in the Umpqua
River basin and all popula
tions are presently subject to
a Federal Status Review to
determine whether they too
will be listed. This review is
scheduled to be completed by
January 1, 1998.
Coastal cutthroat trout
have developed a complicat
ed array of life history pat
terns but it is the anadro-
mous, or sea-run, form that
has shown the steepest de
cline. This is primarily related
to the recent, prolonged and
apparently continuing period
of warm ocean conditions, ac
cording to biologists Walt We
ber and Joe Sheahan of the
Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife. Other contribut
ing factors include a decline
in freshwater spawning and
rearing habitat and sport fish
ery harvest. Stocking of
hatchery cutthroat trout as
well as salmon and steelhead
may be a contributing factor
also. The sport fishery targets
both returning adults and
presmolts, which spend two
to four years in freshwater be
fore migrating to the sea at a
size of seven to 11 inches.
Current angling regulations
hopefully will protect both
adult and presmolt fish, allow
the opportunity to fish for both
sea-run and resident forms
(which are indistinguishable)
and still maintain a simple
trout fishing regulation. The
current regulation is definitely
a compromise between con
servation, fishing opportunity
and simplicity. Anglers can
choose between barbed or
barbless hooks and the use of
bait or artificial lures. We en
courage not using bait as
there is a high mortality
(around 50%) of bait-caught
trout even if carefully re
leased.
The other bit of good news
is that local lakes will again
be stocked with legal sized (8
inches-plus) rainbow trout the
week prior to May 24. Coffen-
bury, Sunset, Vernonia, Tro
jan Recreation and Lost
Lakes will be stocked. An
glers may keep five trout per
day/10 in possession when
fishing in lakes. Boat anglers
will do well trolling a small
Flatfish or spoon such as a
Triple Teezer. Bank anglers
can cast small spinners or
fish bait under a bobber.
From page 3
change in attitude among
some of our local timber land
managers, concerning sal
mon problems.
I have been closely follow
ing litigation in the high courts
on the issue of the right to sue
for
economic
damages
caused by the Endangered
Species Act. So far I have
agreed with their decisions. I
know that sounds kind o f
shocking, but I feel people
need to understand exactly
what has been ruled. The
U.S. Supreme Court said that
if you are damaged economi
cally because of the E.S.A,
you can sue to recover dam
ages if the rules to protect
the species listed went be
yond what was necessary
to recover the species. This
is the part that has been
missing in most of the news
paper articles. I believe
everybody should have the
right to sue, if they are forced
to participate in any action
that goes beyond the scope
of the law. That’s why I find it
kind of a paradox, that the
timber industry was a main
petitioner for this ruling. Yet,
they were also the same peo
ple that supported the Sal
vage Rider that prohibited le
gal challenges.
hard to believe that a Judge
may consider himself more
knowledgeable than the pan
el of wildlife scientists that for
mulated the recovery plan.
Also, can Boise Cascade
claim actual economic dam
age? Look at the price of ex
port logs before the listing of
the Spotted Owl and compare
that to prices in the last few
years. Clearly, the listing of
the Spotted Owl put money in
the pockets of private timber
owners. Export prices have
gained about 100-percent be
cause of the listing. What’s
better is that the Japanese
are paying this bill, not us, ex
cept for the increase in price
for domestic lumber. Now
Boise Cascade wants us to
pay the bill again. I think if a
company benefits economi
cally from a listing, then that
should offset the damages.
This will be an interesting
case, with much potential to
Our State Supreme Court
ruled recently that Boise Cas
cade can sue the State for
economic damages because
they had to set aside a tract of
land due to a pair of nesting
Spotted Owls. This will be the
test case here in Oregon.
Personally I don’t think they
have a case. First they will
have to prove that the State
instituted rules that went be
yond the scope of what it will
take to recover the owls. In
fact, the State standard is far
less than the Federal stan
dard of protection and I find it
Beside trout, many of the
lakes and sloughs in Clatsop
and Columbia Counties pro
vide good angling for bass,
catfish and panfish. Some of
the better areas for these fish
are Cullaby, Sunset, Vernon
ia, Smith, West Lakes and
sloughs in the Brownsmead,
Westport and Clatsop Plains
areas. Recent warm weather
should have these fish active
and hungry.
affect our lives.
Now I know some of you
loggers feel that I’m beating
up on you, but I’m not. I be
lieve that logging and a
healthy environment can co
exist. I have found that most
loggers care about the envi
ronment far more than the av
erage Joe. I do feel, though,
that the big corporations play
on loggers’ fears of unem
ployment to turn loggers
against other environmental
ists. Next time the corporation
asks you to protest, ask them
for your cut of the pie that
they have been receiving the
last ten years or so. Just tell
them “Money talks and *&#
walks.”
Isaak Walton League meet
ings are on the third Thurs
day of each month, 7:00
p.m. The public is welcome.
For meeting location, call
429-7193.
Forest Resources Directory
M I K E P IH L L O G G I N G C O ., IN C .
Holce Logging Co., Inc.
Contract Logging & Road Building
We Buy & Sell Timber
4 2 9 -6 7 8 3
17633 Keasey Road
Vernonia, OR 97064
T e e v in B ros. Land &
T im b e r C o ., In c .
Long Term Forest Management
Teevin Bros. Land & Umber Co., Inc.
is interested in land and timber,
or timber only. With or without
dwellings is acceptable.
Office No. (503)458-6671 ‘
Ask for Shawn or Troy
Rt. 6, Box 270-B, Astoria, OR 97103
B ft H TIMBER
GBNTRAGTBRS, INC.
SPECIALIZING IN PRIVATE TIMBER
FREE ESTIMATES
LOOQINQ
CORPORATION
503-429-1470
SINCE 1 9 8 1
WE BUY TIMBER
- (503)324-2422
__________ VERNONIA, OREGON________
TAYLOR LUM BER
& T R E A T IN G , I N C .
TURNER LOGGING, INC.
SPECIALIZING IN THINNING OPERATIONS
W e B u y P o le s fr o m 4 0 ’ t o 9 5 ’
C A LL U S FO R C U R R E N T P R IC E S :
Ed Reed
Dick Castor
Dennis Duke
i
Mobile (503) 936-1852
Mobile (503) 320-3283
Mobile (503) 434-0655
-
_
S
BRUCE McNAIR
225 "C" STREET
VERNONIA. OR 97064
VERNONIA TRANSPORT INC.
LAND CLEARING
WEEDING A FABRICATION
Structural Fab Burning
Forming Shearing
Welding Repairs
Cast Iron
Hard Facing
Heliarc Welding
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Cable
S & L LOGGING CORP.
OFFICE: (503) 324-9004
(503) 429-1471 Mobile: (503) 430-3829
We take time to take care o f small details.
Mike Pihl • Roy Cary (360) 578-9269
DAN STONE
(503) 324-4830
P.O. Box 284, Vernonia, OR 97064
MARK TURNER: 429-5622
A.K. WOLFF: 324-4512
RIGGING
DAVID C. SCHMIDT
REG. #475498-86
202 S. MAIN • BANKS, OR 97106
Heavy Hauling • Lowboy Service
‘
LEE’S FOREST GROVE
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY
«
(503| 359-9128 • (503] 429-4893
BILL NEUMAN
5375 SW SPRINGHILL RD.
GASTON, OR 97119
~ ~
43995 NW Caldwell Ln.
Banks, OR 97106
O U A U TY
U
GOING
SPECIALIST
"
No job too big
No job too small
We log ’em all
GREG TURNER: 324-7410
T im ber, S a w lo g s , P o le s , a n d P u lp lo g s
jr lIM B É R
Private Timber Large or Small • Poles - Exports - Domestic
MAXIMUM RETURN FOR LAND OWNERS
Mobile: 503-250-1268
Fax: 503-429-0252
1010 Bridge Street • P.O. Box 321
Vernonia, OR 97064
ROAD BUILDING • RIGHT OF WAYS
CUTTING, LOGGING & HAULING IN OREGON & WASHINGTON
RUSS LENDE
(503) 429-3300
LICENSED • INSURED • MEMBER AOL
Chain
Hooks
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POWER TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT
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PHONE: (503) 359-3544 • FAX: (503) 357-4696
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