From left to right: Chris Vertopoulos, Bob Rees, Herman Fleishman, and Joseph Bogaard.Joseph Bogaard, Save Our wild Salmon Coalition’s Executive Director, traveled to Washington D.C. with salmon/fishing advocates from Oregon and Washington during the week of June 9.
The delegation of recreational fishing guides/small business owners took valuable time away from the river and their families to advocate together for healthy abundant salmon populations and the cultural, economic, and ecological benefits they bring to communities across the Pacific Northwest.
Joseph was joined by Chris Vertopoulos, the owner of Chris V’s Guide Service and treasurer for Northwest Guides and Anglers Association (NWGAA), Bob Rees, the owner of Bob Rees’ Fishing Guide Service, president of NWGAA, and SOS Board member, and Herman Fleishman, the owner of Northwest Fishing Adventures and a member of NWGAA and Northwest Sportsfishing Industry Association.
They spent June 9, 10 and 11 walking the halls of Congress and meeting with policymakers and their staff, sharing how the crisis facing salmon and steelhead impacts our region, and asking for their help. They urged policymakers to support the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) and to do all they can to secure important salmon recovery investments that have been requested by the ‘Six Sovereigns’. Developed by the Six Sovereigns, the CBRI establishes for the first time a comprehensive, regionally supported roadmap to rebuild imperiled native fish populations, honor our nation's promises to Northwest Tribes, and restore healthy ecosystems while also supporting a robust economy.
Support for and collaborative implementation of the CBRI and regional salmon recovery investments is essential to the health and future of our communities in the Columbia/Snake Basin and across the Northwest.
Our delegation of citizen lobbyists traveled to D.C. spurred by their grave concerns about the steep declines of salmon and steelhead stocks, and what that means for our region’s special way of life, the opportunities for families and small businesses, and the harmful effects on our economy and ecosystems.
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