Op Ed: Lawsuit could impact Whatcom County marine businesses

B y P ete G ran G er and illen

While Alaska might be more than 1,000 miles away, Washington shares a lot more with the 49th state than most people realize.

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Printed in Canada • Vol. XXXVII, No. 11

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This is especially true in the fishing industry where the relationship between Washington and Alaska runs deep and ripples throughout Washington’s economy and communities. We are seeing the complexities and the nuances of this relationship play out right now in a lawsuit that the Seattle-based Wild Fish Conservancy brought against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in 2020 with the goal to shut down southeast Alaska’s small boat, hook-and-line Chinook troll fishery in the misguided name of saving the southern resident killer whales (SRKW).

Shutting down Alaska’s troll fishery will not bring us any closer to addressing the deeper, complex issues that are driving the decline of our local orca and salmon populations. Instead, it will have devastating impacts on hundreds of fishing families and businesses that rely on Alaska’s troll fishery for their income and jeopardize the economic stability of Washington and Alaska’s coastal communities.

Blaming Alaska’s troll fishery for the SRKW’s decline might sound like an easy solution, but the reality is not that simple – nor does it follow the well-documented science pointing to the habitat loss and degradation, toxic water pollution and dams in the pacific northwest that are harming our local salmon populations, and with them, the SRKW.

Just last month, Washington state released its State of Salmon in Watersheds 2022 report that provides a sobering snapshot of the status of Washington’s salmon populations and the pressures feeding their decline. The report reinforces the major impact that habitat loss (much of it driven by Washington’s booming population) is having on Washington’s salmon, with one- third of Puget Sound’s 2,500 mile shoreline lost due to armoring and 50 to 90 percent of land along Washington waterways lost or greatly modified by humans. The report leaves no doubt that the way to bring back Washington’s Chinook is by addressing these issues in our own backyard.

Currently, 115 southeast Alaska troll fishery permit holders live in Washington and migrate to Alaska each summer to make their income. In addition, there are many Washington seafood processors, distributors and transportation companies that rely on southeast Alaska’s troll fishery as a key source of revenue. Not to mention the restaurants, retail stores and fish markets that are committed to only sourcing troll-caught salmon because of its trusted reputation for sustainability and premium quality. The southeast troll fishery generates $148 million annually in economic outputs for the business sectors in the northwest and beyond.

Seafood Producers Cooperative (SPC) is one of those businesses. Founded in 1944, SPC has about 400 fishermen-member owners with a state-of-the-art processing plant in Sitka, Alaska that employs 100 seasonal and resident workers, and an office in Bellingham for the sales and accounting staff. SPC has the distinction of being the longest surviving and largest operating seafood cooperative in the U.S. Alaska’s troll fishery makes up about 50 percent of its annual production on average and is integral to SPC’s goal to provide the highest quality salmon to wholesale and directly to consumers. The Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County is another local entity that relies, in part, on the future survival of Alaska’s troll fleet. The coalition works hard to promote the vitality and economic benefits of Whatcom County’s working waterfronts and has over 130 business members, including a number of Bellingham trollers who fish in Alaska and marine service companies that supply, build, repair and service Alas- ka’s troll boats.

It’s perhaps ironic that Wild Fish Conservancy’s lawsuit threatens some of the biggest salmon stewards and advocates out there: Fishing communities in Alaska and the pacific northwest. For decades, trollers have been on the frontlines of fighting oldgrowth logging in southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest and supporting removal of the four lower dams on the Snake River in the Columbia River Basin. This commitment to sustainability stems from the intimate relationship between trollers and salmon; trollers catch each salmon individually with a hook-and-line before carefully placing it on ice. That’s why trollcaught salmon fetches some of the highest prices in the marketplace; it’s a premium quality product that truly honors and fully maximizes every single salmon caught.

As fishing families and businesses that rely on clean and intact waterways, healthy ecosystems and sustainable fisheries, our future is tied to the health of the orcas and wild salmon. It’s time to stop passing the blame around and, instead, realize that we’re all in the same boat and start pulling in the same direction.

Arguing over who is catching whose fish hasn’t helped wild salmon in the past and it won’t help them now. We need collaborative partnerships that promote what’s best for the salmon, including doubling down on restoring critical salmon habitat and addressing the root problems. Alaska and Washington’s fishing families and businesses will continue to fight for what’s best for wild salmon and we hope others will join us.

Norman Pillen is president of Seafood Producers Cooperative and works out of both SPC’s Bellingham and Sitka offices.

Pete Granger commercially fishes salmon in Washington state and is on the board of the Whatcom County Working Waterfront Coalition.

The Editor:

We would like to thank our community for their diligence throughout the pandemic and their thoughts and care of their neighbors and friends. The last Covid testing at the fire hall will be April 9, 2023.

I would also like to thank all of the fire department members and community volunteers that have made this a success for our community since 2020. So many of you returned week after week to offer countless hours of volunteer work to help our community have safe and reliable testing. You came together and defined professionalism.

Best wishes everyone!

Chief Christopher Carleton

Point Roberts Fire District #5

Point Roberts, WA

The Editor:

Wow, what a showing from our Whatcom County basketball teams at the state tournament in Yakima!

First of all, being a lifelong Borderite, I have to say congratulations to Blaine for bringing home the third place trophy. I also want to give a huge shoutout to the Lynden High School pep band. When it was realized that the Blaine High School pep band would not be able to make it, Lynden stepped up big time.

Not only did they rock the dome with their impressive pep music, but they cheered for Blaine, a fellow Whatcom County team. Even some of their student section, dressed in Borderite orange vests and wigs (most likely supplied by our amazing Blaine cheer squad), cheered and chanted for a good part of Blaine’s semifinal game Friday night.

I think people often root against Lynden, I know I do, because they are just so good and win so often. I for one changed my tune during the tourney. From top to bottom, what I saw from Lynden was a class act. Go Borderites ...

Preston Bouma Birch Bay

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Margot Griffiths, M.Ed., C.L.C.

After 30 years experience at The University of British Columbia in the Office of Counseling Services, I am pleased to begin my Life Coaching practice in Point Roberts. Confidential appointments arranged by email or text. margot@pointroberts.net 206-604-1713 self-awareness personal development relationships recovery wellness transitions retirement life planning

April Services & Events

2nd: 11:00 am Sevice with Pastor Jean Barrington

7th: 1:00 pm Good Friday Prayer Service

8th: 4-6 pm An Afternoon of story & song in anticipation of Spring

With Craig Fry on violin, Paul Lucas on guitar, Javid Nouripour on piano

9th: 11:00 am Easter Sunday Service with Pastor Jean Barrington

16th: 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet 4:00 pm Bergamasca Concert " The Leaves Be Green "

23rd: 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet

30th: 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet

Now making monthly healthcare visits to Point Roberts

Providing house calls and telehealth visits for patients 18 years of age and older.

JR Healthcare Consultants

Dr. John Anwar MD

Board Certified in Internal Medicine

Learn more at www.jrhealthcareconsultants.org

Call/text 305-877-5497

Email: john.anwar@jrhealthcareconsultants.org

Parks ...

From page 1 used events to raise money for their organizational aims.

Friedman said, “I don’t want to put too much of a burden onto the taxpayers. We also have other funding as well, the park district rents a tower to the communications company SBA, and they recently added something to that tower (Ed. Note: T-Mobile is now a sublessor along with Verizon, the original owner of the tower), I negotiated a new contract with them that brought $25,000 into our budget.” Friedman was referring to the cell tower that is located near the water tank adjacent to Baker Field. The tower had been receiving rent of around $17,000 a year.

Commissioner Kathleen Friedman estimated the cost of the April dance would be approximately $450, which included $350 for the band and $100 for supplies. Mitch Friedman introduced a motion to approve the budget for the dance despite the fact that it was not on the meeting agenda or had the benefit of the public comment period to allow members of the public to express their viewpoint.

“I am going to make a motion for this budget, and then from now on we will need to discuss these events at least a month ahead of time,” he said.

Several members of the community in attendance disagreed with the motion, pointing out that it was not in accordance with the standard rules for parliamentary procedure, known as Robert’s Rules of Order. Despite those objections and some hesitation from board members, the motion passed by a unanimous vote.

In any event, it ultimately became moot.

In a letter dated March 23, Kathleen Friedman resigned effective immediately citing personal health concerns. The dance was subsequently canceled because she was the commissioner in charge of the event, and it was too late to assign someone else for that duty, she said.

How the commission-approved event was canceled without the benefit of a board meeting was not explained. Under the commission style of government, individual commissioners have very limited powers of decision-making. Only the board itself has the power to make decisions affecting the district. An email to the district asking for details on how the decision to cancel was made was not answered before going to press.

Surprisingly, the commission did not discuss the summer kids program during the March meeting. Typically, planning gets underway in February or March. Last year, then-chair Bennett Blaustein reported at the March meeting that the district had been awarded a $31,000 state grant that would be used for enrichment activities during the summer program. It’s not known if the district has applied for any grants this year.

Providing non-emergency home education and referral services. For an appointment or more information, please contact Chief Christopher Carleton at 360-945-3473 or chief@wcfd5.com

Council on Aging faced trial by fire

B y P at G ru BB

Managers of the Whatcom Council on Aging (COG), the organization responsible for the seniors’ lunch program in Point Roberts and elsewhere, must have felt like they had been to hell and back after a March 23 townhall meeting. The meeting took place after the popular longtime chef Roger Gookstedder was let go from his position.

COG executive director Chris Orr, food services manager Ian Cassinos and Meals on Wheels & More director Julie Meyers made the trek to Point Roberts to discuss the program and its future.

Drs.

They faced a mostly angry crowd of around 30 people upset at Gookstedder’s dismissal who demanded answers that, for the most part, were not forthcoming.

Orr told the crowd that he was not at liberty to discuss the reasons why Gooksted- der was let go but said it involved multiple issues. A number of speakers had suggested that it had been due to complaints from the parks district but Orr denied that those complaints were the main reason for the council’s action and repeated he wasn’t able to discuss the issue in detail.

A number of speakers criticized the current service levels with one complaining that “We’re getting lukewarm meals.” COG is currently preparing the lunches in Bellingham and driving them to the Point.

Orr told the crowd, “Here’s my commitment, we’ll have a stronger presence up here and we will work towards catered food.” He then promised to be back in April and find ways to improve the food’s quality.

Resident Bill Zidel said the social aspect of eating together is more important than someone sitting around sharpening their pencil.

Sowing seeds of progress

April is a busy month for Circle of Care. We are pleased to announce this year’s annual general meeting (AGM) will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 16, at the Benson Road fire hall. Refreshments will be served and all are invited.

Our guest speaker will be Dr. John Anwar. Dr. Anwar is the chair of medicine at St. Vincent de Paul/ Virginia G. Piper Medical Clinic as well as an assistant clinical professor at Creighton University School of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Dr. Anwar is now a part-time resident of Point Roberts, as he spends one week a month here and the rest in Phoenix, Arizona. He provides medical consulting services in person and remotely through telemedicine to supplement the local clinic’s current clinical providers.

He is not associated with Circle of Care but we find his story inspiring, and we want to share with you his message of unconditional giving, humanitarian practice and generosity. Here is a link to an article written about Dr Anwar in 2021: bit. ly/3ZqMaZf.

Dr. Anwar will be speaking to us via Zoom, as his schedule does not permit him to be here that week. We hope you will welcome him into our community. The AGM will also cover how Circle of Care is moving forward to provide you with more extensive services.

While we would love to see you in person, feel free to attend the AGM via Zoom. The AGM will be held at the following link: bit.ly/3lHF30V.

Our wine/chocolate pairing and silent auction fundraiser will be held on Saturday, April 22, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Trinity Church community hall. April 22 is Earth Day and we will be serenaded by and singing along with Savilla Kress to the music of the 1970s, to celebrate the first Earth Day, which took place in 1970.

The silent auction will feature a wide range of services from merchants both in Point Roberts and in the lower Mainland of B.C. Join the fun, enjoy the wines and chocolates from Washington State, and bid on the perfect service for yourself or for someone else. Tickets are $15 per person or $25 per couple. Tickets are available by contacting us at prcircleofcare@gmail.com or 360/945-5222.

s You’re never too old for cake!