Coastal Conservation Association

A new era begins in the Pacific Northwest

Washington and Oregon move to ban gill nets from mainstem of Columbia River

In a tremendous victory for conservation, the Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission voted 9 to 0 in favor of passing a new policy that will eliminate the use of gill nets in the lower mainstem of the Columbia River. 

Ban on gillnetting appears headed to November ballot

A measure that would ban using gillnets on the Columbia River and Oregons other inland waters appears to be headed to the November ballot after supporters submitted another 45,000 signatures to the secretary of state Monday.

Northwest salmon fisheries may have to share with killer whales

Orcas attack prey as large as gray whales and as small as herring. But the endangered orcas of the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands have adapted to eating mostly Chinook salmon, another threatened species. 

Condit Dam decommissioning takes the next step

Vancouver company helping mother nature restore White Salmon River’s path

WHITE SALMON — Dale Kuykendall strolls a few hundred yards from his makeshift office to a ledge offering a jaw-dropping view of the newly unleashed White Salmon River.

Thomas: Condit Dam breach could ruin perfect salmon fishing spot

UNDERWOOD, Wash. — For decades, a flotilla of small boats, prams, rafts and float tubes full of anglers have jammed the mouth of the White Salmon River daily during the summer to catch steelhead.

Condit Dam to be demolished Wednesday

First Elwha and Glines Canyon, and now Condit: The three largest dam removals ever in the country will be under way in Washington today, when contractors detonate 800 pounds of dynamite and blast the White Salmon River free.

Salmon-Killing Virus Seen for First Time in the Wild on the Pacific Coast

A lethal and highly contagious marine virus has been detected for the first time in wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest, researchers in British Columbia said on Monday, stirring concern that it could spread there, as it has in Chile, Scotland and elsewhere.

Will giant chinook salmon return? Dam-removal project opens the door

Bringing back the Elwha River kings, the most storied in Puget Sound, has been a rallying cry for advocates of dam removal for more than a generation.

Banging around like a bull in a rodeo chute, the big chinook rattles the metal pen holding her at a fish weir on the Elwha River.

White Salmon River in Washington gets a cleanup before Condit Dam is removed

Men in Day-Glo orange vests scrambled over the rocky banks, divers emerged from underwater, a tow truck strained with a boat at the end of a taut rope as more than a dozen organizations gathered Saturday for a day of housekeeping at the mouth of White Salmon River. 

Idaho sockeye salmon count exceeds expectations

BOISE, Idaho – This year might not be a record year for Idaho’s endangered sockeye salmon. But biologists with Idaho Fish and Game say the returning adult salmon count is already above expectations for the year. They get an idea of those numbers during the annual “Sockeye Roundup.”

Snake River salmon climb almost 7000 ft

Snake River salmon swim more than 900 miles inland and climb almost 7,000 feet to reach their spawning grounds — the highest salmon spawning habitat on the planet, and the largest and wildest habitat left in the continental United States. These one-of-a-kind salmon travel farther and higher than any other salmon on Earth — not to mention tackling eight massive dams along the way.

Elwha Dam Removals: Researchers use giant fish weir to study salmon

PORT ANGELES — For nearly 100 years, the Elwha Dam has proven to be a worthy adversary for spawning salmon. 

Fishing for Irony

They say that fishing is the world’s second oldest occupation, so it is likely there have been more ironic events in its long, storied history, but the recent letter from Massachusetts’s Governor Deval Patrick to President Obama must rank near the top of the list.

Recreational sector stands united against sector separation

Overwhelming opposition to management scheme at Gulf Council workshop

If the public comment period at the Sector Separation Workshop hosted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is any indication, recreational anglers are united against any proposal to separate the recreational sector into for-hire/charter and private boat angler categories. The three-day workshop was put on by the Gulf Council this week ostensibly to help managers and stakeholders gain a better understanding of sector separation as a proposed management tool for recreational fisheries.

Puget Sound Crab Decision a Victory for Recreational Crabbers

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to bring more fairness to the Puget Sound Dungeness fishery by adopting "Option A" for its new Puget Sound Crab policy. This long overdue policy change rightfully recognizes the importance of recreational crabbing in Puget Sound and provides a SIGNIFICANT increase in fishing opportunity for Puget Sound crabbers.

Sportsman Channel and DISH Network Collaborate To Support Gulf Region Recovery Efforts

Sportsman SD and HD Now Available as A la Carte Option; New Subscriber Proceeds To Support Gulf Coast Fund & Coastal Conservation Association

In an effort to raise awareness and funds for Gulf regions working to recover from the recent oil spill disaster, Sportsman Channel will funnel this year’s proceeds from the a la carte pricing to a special “Sportsman’s Fund” created with the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) to benefit Gulf coast habitat restoration and research.  CCA is one of the largest non-profit marine conservation groups in America.

Anglers Cautiously Optimistic After Recreational Fishing Summit

CCA participants hope to see results after meeting with NOAA Fisheries

Outdoorsmen were out in force at the nation’s capital last week as two events in Washington DC were dedicated to how this country manages its wild and natural resources.

CCA Continues Advocacy for Harvest Reform, Recovery of Oregon’s Salmon Runs

The changes made by the Attorney General’s office do not reflect the intent of the initiative, which is to end the non-selective over-harvest of Oregon's native fish runs while maintaining a healthy commercial salmon fishing industry.

CCA Adds Advocacy Expertise in the Pacific Northwest

PACIFIC NORTHWEST – Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is pleased to announce that Heath Heikkila has joined its advocacy team to provide strategic guidance and counsel to CCA chapters in Washington and Oregon. He joins a veteran CCA national advocacy team that includes Robert G. Hayes, general counsel, Richen Brame, Atlantic States Fisheries Director, Dr. Russell Nelson, Gulf Fisheries Consultant, and Matt Paxton, federal lobbyist.

Local Leaders Set to Guide Conservation Efforts

Officers and Directors elected to lead fast-growing Pacific Northwest CCA chapters

WOODLAND, WA - Not long ago, a group of concerned anglers from Oregon and Washington with an urgent need to take a more active role in the management of their marine resources contacted Coastal Conservation Association. Just six months later, CCA Washington and CCA Oregon are officially open for business and proud to announce the election of officers and directors to lead the attack on a variety of conservation issues in the region, particularly salmon.

Coastal Conservation Association Expands to Pacific Northwest

Decision creates coast-to-coast conservation association

HOUSTON, TX –Coastal Conservation Association, the nation’s largest marine resource conservation group, announced today that the organization will expand its operations to the U.S. Pacific Northwest to address a variety of conservation issues, including problems within the salmon fishery.