Hey everyone! Our community is coming together in great ways to save Riggins and our Steelhead Season! Please join us! Your support is needed more now than ever, check out the Idaho River Community Alliance’s Facebook page like it to stay updated on what is happening and share your support! https://www.facebook.com/IdahoRCA/

We just got word yesterday, that one of the groups involved with filing lawsuit against F&G has backed out on that, and are also urging F&G to reconsider the steelhead closure. That article here! IRU backs out of lawsuit.

The other groups involved in the threats of litigation again are  Conservation Angler, Wild Fish Conservancy, Friends of the Clearwater, Snake River Waterkeeper, Wild Salmon Rivers and the Wild Fish Conservancy.

We hope some good news continues on this front, and the others will back out too. But in the meantime, the contact information for our senators and congressman is included below again for anyone that wants to write letters urging them to help with getting the permits pushed forward and passed with NOAA, as well as the NOAA contact and a sample letter below.

Also, want to reiterate again for all of our Women With Bait participants, that we will still be continuing with Women With Bait! We have other options and ideas in the works regardless of the steelhead season outcome for those of you ladies that still want to come up for a girls weekend away, fish, and experience our rivers! But, we are also not giving up on our steelhead tournament at this time, and we don’t want you to either!

 

Thank you all so much for your support, we appreciate it greatly!!

 

 

Senator Jim Risch

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

Senator Mike Crapo

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

Congressman Mike Simpson

[email protected]

 

Congressman-elect Russ Fulcher

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

NOAA

Subject: Idaho’s Snake River Steelhead Fisheries Plan

[email protected]

Dear Idaho’s Congressman or Senator, (Please add appropriate name)

 

Once again Idaho’s public lands and natural resources are being managed by threat of lawsuit rather than by sensible Idahoans sitting around a table and determining our future and the future of our natural resources.  I am calling on you as part of Idaho’s congressional delegation to step-in to help reinstate Idaho’s full fishing season.

 

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted last week to suspend the steelhead fishing season until a permit can be obtained from NOAA Fisheries. The state agency was forced into the unprecedented situation to protect the Idaho taxpayer from paying frivolous legal fees to Idaho Rivers United who threatened lawsuit. There is plenty of blame to go around, but while these groups fire off lawsuits, Idaho’s rural communities, Idahoans who love to fish and the businesses that form the basis of our local economy are caught in the crossfire.  

 

I want to be a part of the steelhead conservation solution, but lawsuits that shut down Idaho’s recreation industry are not the answer.

 

We need your leadership. Please step in and press NOAA Fisheries to complete this long overdue permit immediately so Idaho Fish and Game can reinstate Idaho’s full fishing season.  Our economy depends on your action as well as Idaho’s sustainable fishery. 

 

Sincerely,

(Please sign your name)