Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition

 

Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition Mission Statement

To Provide Diverse Leadership to Achieve Salmon Recovery and Fisheries Preservation Through Advocacy and Education.

Coalition Primary Goals:  (Established 2019)

Habitat:

Rebuilding, sustaining, and protecting functioning ecosystems is central to salmon recovery. Habitat degradation and fragmentation are leading factors resulting in declining salmon populations. It is ever more important in the face of a changing climate and rapid population growth throughout the region.  Advocate to restore and connect riparian, floodplain, and nearshore function, and for adequate supplies of clean water for fish at all life-stages are all necessary components. The coalition will advocate for expanding habitat –through blockage removal, the urgency of ocean conditions/marine survival relative to salmon recovery and for progressive action on climate change issues in Washington.

  1. Revise habitat standards for the Growth Management Act (GMA) and other resource protection guidelines from one of No Net Loss (NNL) to one of Net Gain (NG), understanding that status quo conditions do not support recovery objectives.
  2. Consistency in protecting and restoring riparian conditions across state and federal programs, guidelines and rules.
  3. Development of a statewide permit tracking system to create transparency, accountability and efficiency in tracking permitted land use decisions. 
  4. Reduce Toxic contamination of water and salmon through the support of the consolidated water quality rule and improved stormwater management requirements and actions.
  5. Collectively support and advocate for local, state and federal funding and programs necessary to accomplish habitat protection and restoration priorities.

Hatcheries

Hatcheries play a critical role in meeting treaty harvest obligations and helps support non-treaty fisheries. Continued loss and degradation of salmon habitat in western Washington watersheds prevents development of self-sustaining salmon populations. A properly functioning habitat is necessary to reach production goals for both wild and hatchery fish. Until habitat can be restored, hatcheries will remain an integral component of salmon recovery.  While our focus is on hatchery production in western Washington, salmon are also critical in the Columbia River and Sacramento River basins. Additionally, we must also coordinate our efforts with our Canadian counterparts to recover and increase salmon production in the Fraser River. The coalition will:

  1. Support increased state, federal and other funding to provide for increased salmon production and maintenance of state, federal, tribal and non-profit hatchery facilities in the region.
  2. Support increased hatchery production in key watersheds to produce salmon for Indian and non-Indian fisheries and contribute to prey availability for Southern Resident Killer Whales based on best science available.

Pinniped Management:

Predation by pinnipeds on both adult and juvenile salmon and the forage fish they depend on is considered to be significantly impeding the recovery of depressed salmon populations. The following actions should be taken by the tribes and the appropriate state and federal agencies working together to address this limiting factor. The necessary state and federal funding must be provided to support these actions.

  1. Assess the state of the science, including traditional knowledge, relative to predation by pinnipeds on salmon and other species in this region and the impact of this predation on the recovery of salmon populations.
  2. Assess the status of pinniped populations in this region and complete an assessment to determine the optimal sustainable populations of harbor seal and sea lion stocks that support salmon recovery.
  3. Evaluate and develop recommended management actions that will maintain sustainable pinniped populations that are consistent with the recovery needs for salmon and upholding tribal treaty rights.

Partners

BFJ Salmon Coalition Membership

Individual / Core Leadership
Phil Anderson, WDFW (retired)
Ron Garner, Puget Sound Anglers
Butch Smith, Ilwaco Charters
Mike Grayum, NWIFC (retired)
Glen Gobin, Vice-Chairman Tulalip Tribes/Salmon Defense
Dave Herrera, Skokomish Tribe/NWIFC
Jacque White, Long Live the Kings
Willie Frank, Nisqually Tribal Council
Ed Johnstone, Quinault/NWIFC
Joe Mentor, Mentor Law Group
Karen Fraser, State Senator (retired)
Mark Doumit, Wa. Forest Practices Assoc.
Barbara Baker, Wa. Fish and Wildlife Commission
Joe Gaydos, SeaDoc Society
Dow Constantine, King County Executive 
John Stark, WSU Stormwater Center
Frank Chopp, State Representative, Speaker of the House
Dennis McLerran, Cascadia Law Group
Michael Steadman, Lacey City Council
Hanford McCloud, Nisqually Tribal Council
Justin Parker, Makah/NWIFC

Ex-Officio Advisors
Charles Wilkinson, University of Colorado School of Law
Sally Jewell (invited) former United States Secretary of Interior
Bill Wilkerson, WDFW(retired)
Linda Mapes, Seattle Times

Government Representatives
JT Austin, Governor’s Office
Amy Wrubel, Wa. Legislature
Nikki Teutschel, Commerce Committee
JT Wilcox, Wilcox Farms / State Representative
Hillary Franz, DNR
Ron Warren, WDFW(Harvest)
Jeff Davis, WDFW (Habitat)

Staff Support
Peggen Frank, Salmon Defense
Fran Wilshusen, NWIFC (Habitat)
Cecilia Gobin, NWIFC (Pinniped)
Ali Johnson, Salmon Defense
Tony Meyer, NWIFC
Ken Currens, NWIFC (Hatcheries)

Roles and Responsibilities of member types:

Core Leadership Ex-Officio Advisors Government Reps
Commit to supporting and advancing the Mission and Goals of the BFJ Pacific Salmon Coalition
Formally endorse coalition actions and communications
Elevate coalition capacity through leadership and leveraging networks
Workgroup Participation
Support fundraising objectives through advocacy, direct contributions, and donor development