FISHING -- Organizations representing Oregon’s recreational fishing community met with Gov. Kate Brown this week and requested that she withdraw her recent appointment of Bruce Buckmaster to serve on the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. 

For the past decade Buckmaster has served as a lobbyist, spokesman and chief strategist for the commercial gillnet industry.  The groups delivered a letter from five organizations representing anglers, guides and conservationists outlining the reasons their opposition to the appointment

The groups are trying to block the appointment in the Oregon State Senate. In the letter, they say:

While we don’t question Mr. Buckmaster’s knowledge and expertise in fish and wildlife issues, we do have serious concerns about his ability to effectively represent the public interest of the state as required by ORS 496.090(6), particularly on the highly-charged Columbia River fishery issues that dominate much of the Commission’s time,.  There are legitimate questions about his ability to take an objective, open-minded approach to dealing with these issues and the recreational fishing community that represents a key constituency – and primary source of revenue – for the Department of Fish and Wildlife.”

Buckmaster has been outspoken in his efforts to reverse the Columbia River gillnet reforms that were adopted by the Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife commissions in 2012 to transition away from the use of gillnets in the river’s mainstem:

His appointment comes as ODFW is seeking legislative approval of recreational fishing license fee increases of 33%-93% to balance the agency's budget.  Any fee increase would only exacerbate the funding inequities that currently exist between the recreational and commercial sectors: