Oregon Ballot Measure 81
Oregon Ballot Measure 81
The initiative process has a long and strong tradition in Oregon Politics having been established in 1902. Oregon used the initiative process to establish the first presidential primary election system in the nation in 1910, and approved women’s right to vote in 1912 (“Oregon”). Between 1904 and 2002 Oregon had produced the most initiatives of any state (“Oregon”). Citizens can place an initiative on the ballot if they can collect sufficient signatures to meet the filing requirements. As Oregonians most of us strongly believe in the initiative process both as a way to address issues that we feel the legislature may have gotten wrong or they may not be willing to address. It allows for the citizens voices to be heard. It also allows for the citizens to reject initiatives if compelling arguments are not made to approve it.
Oregon ballot measure 81 prohibits commercial non-tribal fishing with gillnets in Oregon “inland waters”, allows use of seine nets. This ballot measure’s proposed changes to state law are not based on science and proper fish management but on emotions and the economic benefits of one group over another. The Columbia River salmon are a natural resource that plays a role in the local economy, local culture and greatly into local Native American culture. The total number of “native” or “wild fish” allowed to be harvested would not change as it is set by the Columbia River Compact. Voting no on this ballot measure is what every Oregonian should do when voting this November.
First, you should know what a gill net is, what a seine net is, and what the differences are between them. “The Magnuson-Stevens Act (PL 94-265 (1976)), the federal law governing the management of marine fisheries, defines a gillnet as a panel of netting, suspended vertically in the water by floats along the top and weights along the bottom, to entangle fish that attempt to pass through it” (Martin). On the Columbia River gillnets are used
The initiative process has a long and strong tradition in Oregon Politics having been established in 1902. Oregon used the initiative process to establish the first presidential primary election system in the nation in 1910, and approved women’s right to vote in 1912 (“Oregon”). Between 1904 and 2002 Oregon had produced the most initiatives of any state (“Oregon”). Citizens can place an initiative on the ballot if they can collect sufficient signatures to meet the filing requirements. As Oregonians most of us strongly believe in the initiative process both as a way to address issues that we feel the legislature may have gotten wrong or they may not be willing to address. It allows for the citizens voices to be heard. It also allows for the citizens to reject initiatives if compelling arguments are not made to approve it.
Oregon ballot measure 81 prohibits commercial non-tribal fishing with gillnets in Oregon “inland waters”, allows use of seine nets. This ballot measure’s proposed changes to state law are not based on science and proper fish management but on emotions and the economic benefits of one group over another. The Columbia River salmon are a natural resource that plays a role in the local economy, local culture and greatly into local Native American culture. The total number of “native” or “wild fish” allowed to be harvested would not change as it is set by the Columbia River Compact. Voting no on this ballot measure is what every Oregonian should do when voting this November.
First, you should know what a gill net is, what a seine net is, and what the differences are between them. “The Magnuson-Stevens Act (PL 94-265 (1976)), the federal law governing the management of marine fisheries, defines a gillnet as a panel of netting, suspended vertically in the water by floats along the top and weights along the bottom, to entangle fish that attempt to pass through it” (Martin). On the Columbia River gillnets are used
Cited: "Columbia River Gillnet Limited Entry Permit, Commercial." License Directory - Oregon Licenses, Permits and Registrations. ODF, 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://licenseinfo.oregon.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=license_wlcm>. Martin, Irene. "Gillnet Fishing | Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture." Gillnet Fishing | Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture. n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. <http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/gillnet_fishing/>. NMFS, 2012, Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries-2011, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, Natl., Mar "ODFW Columbia River Fisheries FAQs." ODFW. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/oscrp/crm/faq.asp>. "Oregon." Initiative & Referendum Institute. IRI, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://iandrinstitute.org/Oregon.htm>. Smith, Courtland L. "Seine Fishing | Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture." Seine Fishing | Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture. n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/seine_fishing/>. "Unemployment Rates for States." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 19 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. <http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm>.