The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Wahkiakum County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) is working through its second funding cycle and discussing more projects that could improve the local Columbia River fishery long-term.

The committee includes Port District 2 commissioner Kayrene Gilbertsen, Naselle teacher Jim Moten, Port District 1 assistant manager Abe York, Town of Cathlamet Mayor George Wehrfritz, fishers and community members Kent Martin, Mike Clark, David Wahlstrom and Carol Ervest among others.

The committee met October 24 to consider implementation of current projects and discuss how the future funding cycles. Wehrfritz asked about a more formal granting process, but Gilbertsen replied that the group had prioritized when it funded. “What we liked rose to the top,” she said.

Coordinator Carrie Backman and committee chairman Mike Backman said they welcome proposals for the next cycle at any time, so they can provide assistance to people who may be unfamiliar with the process of writing grants.

At its meeting on October 24, the committee described delays getting approval from state Department of Fish and Wildlife funders as proposals are submitted. Carrie Backman attended a web-based meeting with the coastal caucus aimed at resolving the problem.

For the July 2001 to June 2012 cycle, the local committee has allocated $17,250 to a range of projects. Committee members include representatives of local schools, port districts, local government, fishers, economic and recreational and conservation interests.

Friends of Skamokawa will purchase poster-size panels and 1,000 brochures describing the history and culture of Columbia River gillnetters for $4,000. Plans call for the exhibit to tour between May and December 2012.

Port District 2 will surface the handicapped trail at Vista Park and add signs related to invasive species at both Port 2 ramps and Vista Park ($4,400). Port District 1 will place invasive species signs near the boat launch ($150).

Port District 2 will construct a roofed area ($2,500) to display a 26-foot gillnet boat built in 1911.

Field trips ($2,376) are planned to show students tide-gates on the Julia Butler Hansen wildlife refuge, tour the new Redmen Hall Exhibit, and job shadow fish biologists at nearby hatcheries and tour the Astoria High School fish-rearing program. Wahkiakum High School students will conduct monitoring and habitat assessments ($3,050). Naselle High School Natural Resources Class, led by committee member Jim Moten, will travel to Grays River fish hatchery for job shadowing, and a range of activities when fish are spawning ($486).

WSU Wahkiakum Extension will offer a food preservation class for the west side of the county, which can be used for commercially caught salmon and tuna as well as sports catch ($288). The class was taught on the east side in the previous cycle, Carrie Backman said.

At its recent meeting discussion ranged over strategies to keep fishing communities vital. Kent Martin, a fourth generation fisherman from Skamokawa explained to Mayor Wehrfritz and others, how and why he would help local residents and local fishing families.

The group discussed how bringing children from the city could help local youth, by broadening future voters’ perspective on the importance of the fishery and the nature of rural resource dependent communities.

The local fishermen discussed the possibility of developing a safe area or terminal fishery off the main-stem of the Columbia River, closer to Wahkiakum County, like the Youngs Bay fishery that was developed as a cooperative project with Astoria High School programs among others.

Mike Backman had invited fisherman Tim Tarabochia to the meeting. Tarabochia said he had been fishing commercially in the select area at Youngs Bay near Astoria.

“Fishermen are catching a lot of fish. It’s good for them, good for the local markets. We could do that over here. That’s life blood to a little community,” Tarabochia said.

The committee discussed the possibility of planting salmon in Skamokawa Creek.

Mike Backman considered the possibility of restoring the Elochoman River Hatchery.

“I’d be willing to work on it with you,” Fish and Wildlife biologist Pat Frazier said. However, he added that bringing the hatchery to current standards could cost between $10 to 20 million.

“We need more select areas if the commercial fishery is going to survive,” Mike Backman said.

Committee member Rob Stockhouse said, “The issue is getting urban areas and the state legislature to endorse the importance of a fishery in the lower Columbia River on the Washington side…We need to have somebody up there to speak with a bigger voice.”