In our short existence, these are just some of the things we have accomplished:

• Established the strongest and best-organized grassroots conservation organization in the state.
• Took the lead in establishing new rules in both Oregon and Washington to transition gillnets off the mainstem of the lower Columbia River.
• CCA has more members on key stakeholder committees than any other group.  This is where policy making starts.
• Developed a set of thought out and rational position statements that guide our efforts ensuring consistency, credibility, and adherence to the principles of the grassroots membership.
• Held numerous, successful fundraising banquets to fund advocacy efforts and staff in Oregon.
• Retained an Executive Director, Assistant Director, Fisheries Director, and Salem Lobbyist so that our influence is felt even as we volunteers attend to our daily lives.
• Raised our profile to the point that state leaders as well as state and federal agencies often seek our advice on conservation issues.
• Represented recreational anglers and their rights during the marine reserve debates. Successfully modified HB 3013 to avoid large arbitrary closures of our coastal waters before it was passed into law.
• Coordinated with CCA Washington and CCA National to actively support the Northwest Straits Commission in attaining a $4.5 million federal grant to remove 3000 derelict gill nets from Puget Sound.
• Six of fifteen members on the Columbia River Recreational Advisory Panel are active CCA members.
• Represented conservation on the Columbia River Visioning Panel.
• Represented on, and successfully influenced, the Columbia River Fish Working Group process, which recommended a major shift towards selective fisheries.
• Generated over 3400 emails, phone calls, and letters to legislators, the Governor and the commission following Oregon’s vote to disregard the results of the Columbia River Basin Restoration Working Group. Coordinated with CCA Washington to defend the Washington commission’s stand for conservation.
• Participated along with CCA Washington in the North of Falcon Process resulting in the largest increase in mark – selective fisheries in Puget Sound in years while supplying a voice for conservation when adopting harvest and escapement goals as a region.
• Advocated for conservation buffers during the spring Chinook fishery that prevented us from over-fishing our ESA impacts, which would have put future seasons in jeopardy.
• Developed and promoted a comprehensive legislative agenda during the 2009 legislative session.
• Introduced HB 2579 to legalize the use of alternate methods of commercial harvest and prioritize its use. Brought over 300 CCA members to attend the legislative hearing, the largest group to attend a legislative hearing this session.
• Supported the ODFW budget proposal for funding to test alternate selective commercial gear, which will begin in the fall of 2009.
• Developed relationships with legislators that will benefit CCA and more importantly the resource for years to come…
• Met with the Oregonian Editorial Board, which resulted in one of the best Editorials in years calling for Columbia River harvest reform.
• With our support SB 472 the Hatchbox bill passed and was signed by the Governor.
• Completed a Spring Chinook rearing facility on the Molalla River against strong opposition from the Native Fish Society.
• Filed a ballot measure 81 to finally remove non selective non tribal gillnets from the Lower Columbia River and allow only selective commercial fishing gear capable of live release.
• Worked with Governor Kitzhaber to work out terms of a compromise he proposed
• The only fish group to receive a letter of thanks from Governor Kitzhaber for working with his plan
• Had members serving as stakeholders in both OR and WA during the bi-state work group plans to reform fishing on the lower Columbia River
• Turned out hundreds of members and thousands of letters of support for the new bi-state reforms
• Saw the new reforms made into rule to by both the ODFW and WDFW Commissions
• The new reforms: transition non-tribal gillnets off the lower Columbia, establish “Selective Recreational Angling” as the management priority for the lower Columbia River, allocates more fish to selective recreational anglers.
• Passed SB 830 in the Oregon legislature against strong opposition from the gillnet lobby.
• The only fish group to formally join the lawsuit launched by the gillnetters and processors against the new reforms.
• Pressed ODFW to end retention of White Sturgeon in the lower Columbia River to help this troubled stock recover
• Established a “Hatchery Subcommittee” to fight arbitrary hatchery reductions all around the state of Oregon
• Passed HB 3441 to change the board of director of the Oregon Hatchery Research Center.
• Placed 2 CCA members on the new board of the OHRC
• Participated in the stakeholder groups for the Oregon Coastal Multispecies Plan to fight to preserve robust returns of fish for harvest while protecting natural origin stocks
• Participated in a joint legislative hearing on the OCMP to rally support for the vital role hatcheries play in our fisheries
• Re-Wrote our hatchery position statement to strengthen the language supporting hatcheries in Oregon
• Meeting and working with ODFW to help fight the lawsuits trying to arbitrarily end hatchery production in Oregon.
• Supported federal legislation to address sea lion predation in the Columbia River.
• As a group we have systematically developed and put into place the foundation that will enable us to have a lasting positive impact on fisheries issues in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

We Need You!

CCA Oregon will not be successful in recovering our fisheries without your involvement and continued growth. The commitment of current members, through fundraising and active membership recruitment, is helping to build the organization and ensure that the needs of the resource come first through science based management. As outlined above, CCA Oregon is actively working on many fronts to promote conservation, sustainable selective fisheries, and science based fisheries management.

If you haven’t already, Join CCA today! If you are a member, sign up a friend. Your involvement is key to continuing our success.