Oregon Gillnet Ban Proposal Makes November Ballot

Oregon voters will decide whether to ban commercial gillnet fishing this November.

Hobe Kytr is the spokesman for Salmon For All. The group opposes the ban. Kytr says it’s not only the fishers who would be hurt by this measure.

“It will remove a $10 million to $11 million contribution from lower river communities," Kytr says. "It’s the people who work at the marine supply store. It’s the people who work at the processing houses.”

Supporters say the ban would replace gillnets with a more fish-friendly capture and release method.

According to the Oregon Secretary of State, the petition received more than 94,000 valid signatures. That’s well above the required 87,000 signatures.

Copyright 2012 Northwest News Network

On the Web:

Oregon Initiative Petition 21:
http://oregonvotes.org/irr/2012/021cbt.pdf

Copyright 2012 Northwest News Network