By Liz Hamilton, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association Policy Director

More than 40 years ago, I caught my first salmon, a 25-pound spring Chinook in the Willamette.

In truth, that fish caught me.

I was pregnant with my second child and I was determined that those magnificent fish would be here for my children and generations to come. I brought that fish home and proudly fed my family. The next fish I caught was a steelhead, and honestly, it’s terrifying to hear that this year’s run of steelhead may be the smallest since we started tracking their numbers.

So far, every run is coming under forecast.

Meanwhile certain powerful interests are pursuing profit over the health of our rivers and blaming salmon for the water they need to thrive. If we don’t immediately choose a different path, we will not have salmon, nor an affordable, reliable energy system.

With each passing year, our electricity bills are driven up by an aging and increasingly inadequate energy infrastructure.

Oregon’s energy grid is struggling to keep up with demand and the cost of expensive emergency repairs hurt household budgets while spotlighting the unreliability of the system. Energy gobblers like data centers and weather emergencies like wildfires also contribute to ballooning energy bills.

For 30 years, I’ve been proud to work on sportfishing policy in our state and I’ve witnessed first hand the impact our energy system has on salmon survival. We need reliable systems that support both healthy rivers and affordable, sustainable energy. Fishing guides, tackle shops, boat dealers, and the motels and diners in river towns all depend on fish coming back, just as they depend on the lights turning on when they flip a switch.

The economic data illustrates the value of healthy rivers across our state. More than 220,000 Oregonians hold jobs tied to these rivers, from tourism to recreation and other adjacent industries. More than half of our state’s residents regularly engage in outdoor recreation, which is why Oregon’s outdoor economy is valued at almost $10 billion each year and directly supports 70,000 jobs. Caring for the health of our fish and rivers ensures continued economic opportunities for families, many already overwhelmed by the rising costs at the grocery store to the gas pump and electricity bills.

Those responsible for the past mismanagement of our energy system, like Bonneville Power Administration, have been generally unwilling to accept responsibility for the primary cause of rate increases, including aging infrastructure and surging high tech demands.

As Oregonians, we must determine our energy future, and not be misled by utility lobbyists. Our standard must continue to be that utilities invest in modern, efficient energy systems that reduce costs for normal people and protect the clean rivers and salmon that define not just our identity but also our economy.

I live in Oregon City and I have experienced the same skyrocketing electricity bills hitting household budgets as residents across our state.

When I see a fishing guide hosting a visitor in a boat built in southern Oregon, using gear bought at a family owned shop and discussing the best breweries to check out before dinner at a new local restaurant, this is a real local economy in action.

We often ignore the vitality of our local economies at our peril.

The revenue generated by those Oregon small businesses may not have enough zeroes in their annual profits to impress Wall Street, but we should care much more about their enormous benefit to our regional economy.

Liz Hamilton, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association Policy Director

Portland Tribune: OPINION: Oregon must protect its salmon and build an affordable energy future