Anglers want solutions package that works for all Idahoans
For Immediate Release
11/18/19
Contact:
Shauna Stephenson, Trout Unlimited
(307) 757-7861
BOISE, Idaho – At the last gathering of stakeholders for the Governor’s Salmon Workgroup for the year, anglers urged decision makers to continue to push toward an inclusive package of solutions that would recover fishable populations of wild salmon and steelhead while making all Idahoans better off.
In advance of tomorrow’s meeting, Kira Finkler, director of the Idaho Water and Habitat Program for Trout Unlimited and member of the Governor’s workgroup put out the following statement:
“We have listened intently as our fellow stakeholders have outlined their positions and we keep coming back to the same conclusion: We can do this. We can restore wild populations of salmon and steelhead to Idaho. We can have a thriving agricultural industry, and healthy economies and clean, affordable energy. We can identify a path that can truly make us better if we come to the table now.
“As we close out this year, we challenge Idaho’s decision makers to move beyond stalemate and remember we were the state that bucked the trend and negotiated our own roadless rule. We are a state full of hunters and anglers, two pastimes that exemplify eternal optimism. And we are a state that embodies collaboration. If we can’t lead on this issue, then we know nothing of ourselves and have learned little from our history.
“It’s not going to be easy and it won’t be a quick fix. But if we continue to listen to each other, prioritize public input, and work through tough questions in good faith, I am confident that the best ideas will float to the top and we will find a way to get there, together.”
About Trout Unlimited:
Trout Unlimited is the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s trout and salmon and their watersheds. Follow TU on Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and our blog for all the latest information on trout and salmon conservation.