Here is a message from our Coastside brothers and sisters at the rail...
There are two huge issues headed our way that I can't get done without you, but for now let's just address one of them.

We need to get Dan Wolford appointed to the PFMC. Otherwise we will be losing the recreational seat as Roger Thomas is being termed out.

Things like saving our salmon season, expansion of our rock fishing season were accomplished by using our representatives on the council.

Your Coastside board has gotten Dan's name on the list with 4 others so it's up to you now to get his name out of the state and sent on to Washington DC.

Please write a short note and send it to the following e-mail addresses. Remember a paragraph will do so I'm not asking for more than a minute of your time and it's so important.

Example: I am a concerned fisherman in California, and would like to see Mr. Dan Wolford appointed to the Pacific Fishery Management Council to replace Roger Thomas.

Send Email to the Governor governor@governor.ca.gov and cc Secretary Chrisman Mary.Delaney@Resources.Ca.Gov

Just remember this is huge and I can't get it done without you, so don't leave it up to the other guy. I need your help with this one.

Respectfully

Bob Franko

Already done.

Is this a state or federal level appointment? The reason I ask is I am not sure a paragraph from me in Arizona might not matter if it is a state level appointment, whereas if it is federal it will matter. Thanks!!

Already sent.
Dave

The appointment of council members matters to anyone who wants to fish in California waters, not just California residents. After I sent my E-mail, I got an auto reply stating the interest of the Governator in the concerns of California residents and those with interests in California matters.

As a former lobbyist, as I asked the above question because I understand and have been part of the process. First, lip service can be given to placate everyone, however when it comes down to it, constituancy is the key here, and also, the word "interests" may be translated to "those who have money, major money, at stake with this issue". So does anyone know the level of appointment this is concerning?

My understanding is that sending hm to D.C. is the federal level. Is that not right?

And now for the rest of the story; as in reply to my near identical post on the ACBB...
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linglover Sat Feb-24-07 03:11 AM
Charter member
3336 posts

#2, "** There is another highly qualified candidate!! **"
In response to Reply # 0
Sat Feb-24-07 03:18 AM by linglover



Dan Wolford is an intelligent man, a nice guy and he has been working hard to represent Coastside Fishing Club in every way possible. But before anyone jumps on this and sends an e-mail or letter supporting Dan's nomination, you need to know that Jim Martin, West Coast Regional Director for the Recreational Fishing Alliance is a candidate for the same seat on the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Here is Jim's bio:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jim Martin is a private recreational fisherman with over forty years of experience on the water. He has landed a wide range of species: Pacific salmon, freshwater trout, largemouth bass, Atlantic bluefish, Pacific whiting, pike minnow, speckled trout, Sacramento salmon, keyhole limpets, gumboot chiton, sebastes rockfish, lingcod, cabezon, greenlings, striped bass, crabs, mussels, steelhead, smelt, clams, albacore, halibut, sand dabs, and abalone. He owns 18-foot fiberglass skiff and also fishes on charter boats, the banks of the rivers, the seashore and on drift boats. Jim has been active in California fishery politics for many years.

As Vice President of the Salmon Restoration Association of Fort Bragg, Jim volunteered with the local business community to raise over $100,000 for the Hollow Tree Salmon Hatchery on the Eel River. He currently serves as a Groundfish Advisor to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, is a member of the Mendocino County Fish & Game Advisory Commission, and was an alternate member of the Statewide Interest Group of the Governor's Marine Life Protection Act Initiative.

Jim has been the West Coast Regional Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance since 2004. The RFA is a grassroots, national saltwater sportfishing lobby founded in 1996. He serves as one of five trustees for the California Fisheries Coalition, which was formed by more than twenty recreational and commercial fishing associations to actively engage in the MLPA Initiative.

Education: BA Degree in English Language and Literature (1981) from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

Personal Background: Married 23 years, two daughters, a nineteen-year resident of Fort Bragg, California. Self-employed printer & bookseller.

Author: How to Fish the Mendocino Coast; a Fisherman's Guide to Wild Seafood (2004).

Public Service in Fisheries:
2005-date: Trustee, California Fisheries Coalition
2006-date: Board, Sonoma County Abalone Network
2005-2006: Statewide Interest Group for the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (alt.)
2004-date: West Coast Regional Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance
2004-date: Groundfish Advisory Subpanel to the PFMC
2002-date: Salmon Restoration Association, Board of Directors, Vice President. (SRA hosts “The World’s Largest Salmon BBQ” every Fourth of July weekend in Fort Bragg.)
2003-date: Mendocino County Fish and Game Advisory Commission
2002-2003: MLPA Working Group, Fort Bragg Region
2001-2004: Fishing columnist for a local newspaper
2000-2004: Media Chair, RFA-NorCal Chapter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Due to his position on the PFMC's Groundfish Advisory Subpanel, Jim has spent the past two years attending the five week-long meetings that the PFMC holds each year. They have a grueling schedule that starts at 7 am each morning, and does not conclude until 6 pm or later. Jim has not been alone in this. John Holloway, Chairman of the Oregon Chapter of RFA also has a seat on the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel. The two of them are the official representatives for recreational angling on that panel. They got there by an appointment process not unlike the one for a Council seat.

Jim and I are members of the DFG's Groundfish Taskforce. Jim replaced the late Randy Fry, RFA NorCal Chairman on that panel. I worked side by side with Randy from the time that our two California RFA chapters were formed, and have continued to work closely with Jim. The gradual restoration of our groundfish seasons has taken the efforts of many folks from a number of organizations. Participation with the DFG and the PFMC on advisory panels is where the grunt work has been done.

Roger Thomas, the recreational representative whose seat on the PFMC is now open, supports Jim Martin. His organization, the Golden Gate Fisherman's Association (party and charter fleet) is an RFA affiliate.

So, before you start sending out letters of support, I urge you to consider Jim Martin. In a separate message I'll post a suggested letter and the e-mail addresses to send your version, should you choose.

FYI - You should know who the other three candidates are, it's only fair.

1) Kate Wing of the Natural Resources Defense Council
2) Dave Bitts, commerical salmon fisherman Humboldt County
3) Pete Liepzig, Executive Director, Fishermen's Marketing Association - represents groundfish and shrimp trawlers in Washington, Oregon, and California

Joel
DARK SIDE MEMBER
SAVE SPORTFISHING Join RFA