Petition for Subsistence Fish Fees

PETITION

NO NEW FISH OR WILDLIFE TAGS / NO INCREASED TAG FEES

1. We, the undersigned, believe that the most recent announced increases in fees for fish and for wildlife tags are excessive and unwarranted. We oppose any new fees for any species of fish not currently listed that last year did not require a license to catch and oppose any increased fees for the catch of any fish in Oregon and its waters, including but not limited to coastal waters. Many hard working Oregonians fish as a way of making ends meet and putting food on the family table. The “subsistence” fishers represent, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, only four percent of the catch of fish in this state, and have only a small impact ecologically, yet they include a great number of people. We are not against commercial fishers, but we believe that the ordinary family fisherman has little say in the process by which fish tags, fees and allocations are made. Therefore, we propose and support the following.

2. ODFW should initiate an “Oregonian’s Special Tag” that reduces the fee charged for catching non-commercial volumes of fish commonly caught in this state. Such a tag should be available to all Second Generation Oregonians and to those First Generation Oregonians who have lived in Oregon for 20 years or more, if they are here as a legal citizen.

Sign: Name: Date:

_________________________________________________________________________________

BALLOT MEAURE FOR AN “OREGONIANS SPECIAL TAG” FOR SUBSTENCE FISHING

WE HEREBY PETITION FOR AND SUPPORT having a statewide Ballot Measure that would, if passed, create an “Oregonians Special Tag” that reduces the fee charged for catching non-commercial {Food Fish} volumes of fish and shellfish commonly caught in this state and/or in its waters and coastal waters. Such a tag should be available to all citizens of Oregon, and it is understood that persons here illegally are not legally citizens. The text of the Ballot Measure would state:

It is the intent of this Ballot Measure to ensure fair and reasonable access to fish and fishing for fish and shellfish in the waters and coastal waters of the State of Oregon to non-commercial Oregonian fishers. In order to do this, this Measure specifies a method for determining the cost for non-commercial Oregonians Special fishing tags, the species to be covered by the said tags, the number of fish permitted to be caught under the said tags, and who may apply therefore. We believe these matters are closely related and constitute one subject matter in that both logically and practically, in order for any one of these matters to be effectively addressed the others must also be effectively addressed. The following shall be added to Oregon statutory law, and all changes to the Oregon Administrative Rules necessary or appropriate to effect the below shall be adopted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

ORS 506.110 is hereby created and added to the laws of Oregon:
ORS 506.110: Oregonian Special Tag for fishing.
1.            There is hereby created an “Oregonian Special Tag” for non-commercial fishing. The Oregon
Special Tag (“Special Subsistence food Tag”) shall be available, as of the date 90 days from the
passage hereof, to all Oregon citizens. It is understood that persons resident in Oregon illegally are not
and cannot legally be legal citizens.
2.            The Special Tag shall be available for fishing for any fish or shellfish that is regulated by the state
of Oregon as of the date of passage into law hereof.
3.            The Special Tag shall be priced at the level that applied on January 1, 1980 to the species for
which it applies. If there was no tag, or a tag with no price, as of that date, the Special Tag shall cost
$10 per year per species or, where groups of species are covered by a tag, per group of species.
4.            The Special Tag shall entitled the lawful owner thereof to engage in fishing in any and all places
that were lawful for fishing on January 1, 1980, the subsequent designation of marine reserves
notwithstanding.
5.            Any violation of the catch levels or other terms of the Special Tag shall be punished by fines or
penalties equal to those which applied in 1980 to the species for which it applies. If no such fine
existed at that time, the fine shall be $100 per incident (not per fish or shellfish caught).
6.            Rules and laws of general application to Oregon fisheries shall continue to apply to the
Oregonian Special Tag provided that such rules and laws of general application do not contradict and
are not inconsistent with this section ORS 506.110.
7.            Administrative rules may be added as may be necessary to effectuate the intent of this section
506.110 by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife provided however that such rules are not
inconsistent with the provisions hereof and do not alter, change, amend or abolish the terms hereof,
whether by their direct action or indirectly.
8.            The below are to be the maximum catches permitted under the Special Oregonian Tags:

Lingcod (including green colored Iingcod) - 4 fish per day;

RockFish - 15 fish per day (including Sea bass, Snapper, skates or any other species caught off the shore out in the three mile areas from shore);

Flatfish - 30 fish per day (including flounder, Soles, Turbots and halibuts, except Pacific halibut);

Surf perch - 25 fish per day (includes all marine perch species);

Herring, Anchovy, smelt and sardines – 35 lbs. in aggregate;
Striped bass and/or hybrid bass - 5 fish in 24 hrs;

Offshore pelagic species - 35 fish;

Sturgeon - 3 fish per day 15 fish per year;

Salmon – 5 fish per day (including in all streams and rivers);

Marine shell fish - 3 Abalone per day, 15 per year.

The below catch limits are all per day:

Clams: first 30 of any kind;
Soft shell and others, first 50;
Mussels: 142;
Scallops: 44;
Piddocks: first 50;
Shrimp: first 4O lbs;
Crabs:
- Dungeness crabs 24.Minimum 5-3/4in
- Red Rock: 35 any size;
Octopus: 2 per day;
Squid no limit.
Any others: the limit is twice of the current limit as of January 1, 2009 for any States resident and/or for any out of state fisher.
Also NO new tags can be applied to this tag covers all species