Sometimes amid fee increases and tighter restrictions, it’s easy to feel like elected officials and fisheries managers overlook sport anglers as major contributors to conservation and our region’s overall economic health, but we should also take notice when leaders take notice of anglers’ contributions. Recently, Washington Governor Jay Inslee sent a letter to the Chairman of the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission acknowledging recreational anglers are WDFW’s largest single funding source and are a major contributor to Washington’s economy.
As much as we in the sport angling community are eager to lambast politicians and policy makers when they turn a blind eye to anglers, it’s equally important to take note when those in positions of power recognize anglers as vital economic and conservation tools. In his letter, Governor Inslee not only demonstrated that he is aware of the important role sportfishing plays in Washington, but also showed his support for $39 million in hatchery construction funding and $118 million in habitat restoration funds.
At the very least, it’s encouraging to see a standing governor take notice of the contributions that sportfishing makes to communities across Washington. In these times of hotter summers, strong commercial pressure, and decreased funding, the sportfishing community needs all the allies we can get.