Louisiana
Governor Jindal:
"Come Fishing!"
Offshore trip with recreational fishing community leaders finds clean water, hungry fish

     Saltwater recreational fishing reopened in the vast majority of Louisiana’s state waters two weeks ago, and it's time for anglers to return to the water with their families and friends, according to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. The governor joined several representatives of the recreational fishing community on a fishing trip last week in the Gulf of Mexico south of Houma, Louisiana, catching a variety of popular sport fish.
     Governor Jindal said, "One of the greatest traditions in the Sportsman's Paradise is recreational fishing. That tradition was put on hold the first half of our summer because of closures arising out of the Deepwater Horizon incident, but now most of our state waters are reopened to recreational fishing. From what I saw firsthand and what we caught, fishing is back!"
     In a national show of support for regional anglers, Jindal was joined on his fishing trip by Center for Coastal Conservation President Jeff Angers; International Game Fish Association President Rob Kramer; American Sportfishing Association President Mike Nussman; Sport Fishing magazine Editor-in-Chief Doug Olander, and Coastal Conservation Association Tide magazine Editor Ted Venker.
     These recreational fishing-industry leaders thanked the governor for his leadership to help ensure that coastal anglers can once again get back out on the water with families and friends. “Sport fishermen are America’s first conservationists,” Angers said. “Re-opening safe waters and getting anglers back to the coast is the best thing for conservation – and for recovery.”
     With coastal businesses still reeling from fisheries closures at the height of their busiest season, Nussman noted the importance of making whole the thousands of local businesses dependent on recreational fishing. Jindal promised to seek a timely resolution on reopening federal waters that remain closed to all fishing.
     “Countless bait shops and tackle stores have seen their inventories nearly frozen on their shelves for more than three months, and while there may be a light at the end of the tunnel now, the effect of the closures will continue to ripple up the supply chain,” said Nussman. “Getting anglers back on the water is the first step for those businesses to get back on their feet, but the long shadow cast by 100 days of little or no business activity must be addressed.”
     Support for coastal resources was atop the agenda on the trip. “If you look hard enough, every crisis presents an opportunity and though it is difficult to see a silver lining in this disaster, CCA is inspired by the governor’s vision and leadership as a true conservationist. He clearly sees the need for a long-term commitment to habitat and coastal restoration,” said Venker. “Proceeding with plans to build a hatchery and marine research center may be the key to safeguarding Louisiana’s amazing array of sportfishing opportunities now and in the future.”
     Capt. Tommy Pellegrin of Houma, Louisiana, hosted the trip aboard his charter boat, Reel Life, a 39-foot custom boat built by Jeanerette, Louisiana boat-builder Gravois Boats. After a 50-mile trip into the Gulf of Mexico beyond the closed area on Wednesday, Pellegrin put his clients onto hungry fish swarming around oil rigs. With a request from his son to bring home fish for dinner, the Governor returned to Baton Rouge with an ice chest of mangrove snapper filets the Jindals grilled on Thursday and Saturday.
     “We didn’t see a drop of oil on the two-hour boat ride across the closed area and passed several prime fishing areas that would certainly have been just as productive,” said Kramer. “You can tell by the nonstop action that these fish have been under no pressure. All the ingredients for spectacular fishing trips are here – all that’s missing are the anglers.”
     While the state was able to act quickly to open inshore areas to recreational and some commercial fishing, Jindal expressed frustration that the federal process of testing fish samples for oil contamination has been so slow and said he has urged the federal government to expedite the testing so that federal closed areas can be reopened as soon as possible.
     “We have a world-class recreational fishery here in Louisiana, and anglers around the country have been waiting to get the all-clear to plan their fishing trips to our waters,” said Jindal. “We need to see a sense of urgency from the federal government. Of course they must make sure these areas are safe, but we also want those determinations to be made in a more timely manner, so our citizens can begin to put their lives back together.”
     After enjoying the day’s calm seas and remarkably steady fishing, Olander said he was impressed by the resilience of Louisiana’s fisheries.
     “The last few years have presented a tremendous set of challenges to Louisiana, but it remains one of the best places to fish anywhere,” he said. “I’ve fished all over and have long maintained that Louisiana’s sport fishery is truly one of the best in the world,” adding that the state’s residents, with a long and deep sporting heritage, appreciate what they have.
 

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Recent Testimony:
National Commission on the
BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

- Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Coastal Conservation

CCA comments to the Gulf Coast Restoration Plan
Public Hearings

 Rating system on wild-caught salmon
off the mark

     The recommendation by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's popular Seafood Watch guide for consumers to avoid Oregon and California wild-caught salmon is the most recent distress signal illustrating the plight of our region's declining salmon runs.
    The "Avoid" rating shines a national spotlight on an imperiled resource that has been in a downward spiral for decades. And while the usual suspects of habitat loss, dams and climate shifts are cited as reasons for the decline, Seafood Watch also acknowledges the factor that has had the most prolific and devastating impact on our region's salmon runs: overfishing. The guide goes on to point out that the most immediate solution to the problem is to stop overfishing the stocks. We agree with that common-sense conclusion.
    The efforts of the Seafood Watch program are to be applauded. But  while the plight of salmon that originate in the Sacramento River is real and needs to be acknowledged, it's no more a problem than the plight of Columbia River salmon, which are equally imperiled. And the program should also take into consideration the method of harvest when determining the sustainability of a certain population of fish.
     Edward Cassano, who directs the Seafood Watch program, recently emphasized that salmon caught north of Oregon's Cape Falcon -- largely Columbia River salmon -- are a "Good Alternative." The aquarium's guide lists wild-caught salmon from Alaska as the "Best Choice" and wild-caught salmon from Washington as a "Good Alternative."
    We respectfully disagree with these designations.
    It's important to note that large numbers of salmon runs in Oregon and Washington are in decline, with many runs either extinct or endangered. In spite of this precarious situation, the commercial exploitation rate on some of these stocks is nearly 60 percent. And, the method of harvest for Columbia River salmon -- gill-netting -- means that Oregon and Washington are one of the few places in the world where a species listed under the Endangered Species Act is harvested and sold for food. We would not define this as a "Good Alternative."
    Currently, the commercial fishing gear used in the Columbia River (gill nets and tangle nets) is nonselective -- it does not distinguish between a hatchery-raised salmon and a wild salmon. Gill nets are designed to snare fish, leading to injury, suffocation and death before unharmed release is possible. As a result, these kinds of nets kill large numbers of ESA-listed and wild salmon each year. Oregon is one of the few places in the country to still allow gill nets, a method clearly at odds with the state's longstanding commitment to sustainable practices.
     It's equally important to remember that many Columbia River salmon travel through Alaska waters on their far-reaching migratory journey before returning to their home waters to spawn, meaning that many "Alaska-caught salmon" are actually Columbia River salmon. That's not really a "Best Choice" scenario.
     We agree with Cassano's statement that our top priority must be the long-term health of salmon populations. Using commercial gear on the Columbia that can selectively harvest hatchery fish -- while allowing for the release of wild fish -- is an effective, achievable way to help recover wild salmon and create a sustainable fishery for recreational and commercial harvest -- and ultimately consumer enjoyment.
     Seafood Watch can help in this effort by taking a closer look at the overall health of Columbia River salmon runs and placing a greater emphasis on the method of harvest in its evaluation criteria. Only then can consumers be confident in the designation of "Best Choice" for any salmon they purchase.

Bryan Irwin is regional executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association.

Look for the September/October issue of TIDE magazine.

Clean Booms and Calm Seas – By Ted Venker

Get the Drift – By Larry Bozka

Fishing For Data – By Jeff Dennis

The Fish of a Thousand Casts – By Pat Hoglund

Putting the "Great" Back in the Bay – By Marianne Potje

Growing the Future – By Bob Stearns 

Rocky Road – By Mike Wicker and Patty Matteson

CASTING COMMENTS - United We Stand