Now equipped with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s support, long-awaited legislation to remove nontribal gillnets from the lower Columbia River may be a step closer to reality.
Senate Bill 5297, introduced to the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks committee last week, would remove nontribal mainstem gillnet use in the Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam to off-channel locations beginning in 2025. Tribal gillnetting in the Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day reservoirs would be unaffected by the bill.
