Dear supporter,

As spring approaches, keep your eye on the events calendar for chapter events and volunteer opportunities! A member-favorite event hosted by the Tualatin Valley chapter, their plunking clinic, is coming up later this month. It's a great opportunity to get involved with the Steelheaders and learn a new skill, or volunteer and help new anglers become a part of the community.

Many chapters are starting to transition back to meeting in person, so make sure you refer to our events calendar to stay on top of meeting time and location changes too. There are some new events and get-togethers posted from the Mid Valley chapter scheduled for later this spring, so head to our website to get all the details and mark your calendars.

We can't wait to see you all soon,


All of us at Northwest Steelheaders

 

The Oregon Short Legislative Session Comes to a Close

Oregon’s legislative short session came to a close on Monday and a number of bills that we supported passed. For a summary of the bills we advocated for this season, visit our most recent blog post. While this legislative session is winding down, the issues for next year's longer session will be ramping up over the next year. We will do our best to keep you up to date and aware of the issues that affect our native fish, their habitat, and your angling opportunities.

This year's short session was not designed to deal with numerous big issues, rather it was a well-planned lawmaking process with a tight agenda, limited public input, and few surprises. As we move away from this session and swiftly toward next year's regular session, the public and advocates will have much more influence. Contact your legislators, especially those new on the scene, so they can hear first-hand how the laws they enact affect angling opportunities and how we would like them to support our community moving forward. As the time comes, we will help provide you with the tools and templates you need to get involved and advocate directly with your representatives.

 

Hooked on Family Fishing Day is April 30th

Hooked on Family Fishing Day is April 30th at Camp Angelos in Corbett, Oregon! Families are invited to learn about and practice all things fishing. Participants will learn how to fish in the stocked pond, plan their next fishing adventure, and participate in educational activities such as fish identification, casting and reeling, angler ethics and regulations, gear and equipment, water quality testing, and fish art projects. 

While we don't need any more volunteers for this year's event, stay on the lookout next February and March for volunteer opportunities.

 

Estuaries Are Essential for Salmon and Steelhead

Our coastal estuaries are crucial habitats for many species, not least of all salmon and steelhead. These marine areas have the potential to provide habitat, sequester carbon, and supply revenue to the state as coastal working lands. This is especially pressing as the Yaquina Bay Estuary management plan is being revised and will be the basis for future estuary plans. We'll keep you informed and well-equipped to engage in the management plan development process as we learn more.

To gain a deeper understanding of the importance of estuaries, visit the Ocean & Climate Platforms article on estuaries

 

Protect the Tillamook Rainforest

As you know, there is a Forest Management Plan being crafted for the Tillamook Rainforest. Last month, more than one thousand individuals filled out a survey from the Oregon Department of Forestry expressing their views on the value of the state forests for everything from filtering drinking water, providing habitat for endangered species like salmon and steelhead, and carbon sequestration.

Soon, the public comment session will open and we urge you to get involved. The more anglers who voice the importance of these forests to the angling community, the larger the impact we can have on the decision-making process.

To learn more about what the Forest Management Plan and its corresponding Habitat Conservation Plan will mean for anglers, visit our website. Want to get involved? Write a Letter to the Editor using our guidance below!

 

Fish Eggs to Fry Highlighted in the National Wildlife Federation Newsletter

As part of the Eco-Schools USA Salmon Stewards program, over 70 fourth graders from Chehalem Elementary School in Beaverton, Oregon, fostered 300 Chinook salmon for two months in classroom aquariums. After rearing the fish from egg to fry stage and learning about the salmon life cycle, watershed health, and cultural significance to local Indigenous tribes, students were excited to free the fry into their natural habitat! 

Read the full story on the National Wildlife Federation's website.

 

Chapter Meetings

A few chapters have resumed Monthly Chapter Meetings in-person, and we hope to get everyone meeting as soon as possible! To get more detailed meeting information please visit our Events Calendar. If you're having trouble finding a meeting you can attend, please reach out to us at office@anws.org and we'll help you out. As always, Chapter Meetings are free and open to the public. If you're new to Northwest Steelheaders, attending a meeting is a great first step to getting more involved with your local fishing community. 

Upcoming Meetings

  • Mid-Valley Chapter - Wednesday, March 2 @ 7 pm
  • Sandy River Chapter - Wednesday, March 2 @ 6:30 pm
  • Columbia River Chapter - Wednesday, March 9 @ 6:30 pm
  • Tualatin Valley Chapter - Thursday, March 10 @ 7 pm
  • Tom McCall Chapter - Wednesday, March 16 @ 11:30 am
 

Support us when you shop!

When you visit https://smile.amazon.com/ and designate "Association of Northwest Steelheaders Inc" under the search bar before you make a purchase, Amazon will donate 0.5% to our organization. While this seems like just a small drop in the pond, it really adds up and is easy to set up.

 

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Association of Northwest Steelheaders
P.O.  Box 55400, Portland, OR 97238
(503) 653-4176
office@anws.org
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