Urgent Action Alert: Protect North Umpqua Wild Steelhead - Say NO to SB 512!
A critical hearing on SB 512 is this Thursday (Feb. 6) at 1pm. This bill would force the state to restart a harmful summer steelhead hatchery program on the North Umpqua River. This is a bad idea.
In 2022–after sustained advocacy from Native Fish Society, our partners, and wild fish advocates like you–the ODFW Commission wisely ended this same failed program due to plummeting wild steelhead numbers. Restarting it will further harm these iconic fish. Plus, the proposed hatchery is a burnt-out facility lacking the infrastructure needed to run the program and facing ongoing water quality problems—all of which make it a poor location for taxpayer investments.
We strongly oppose SB 512 and need your immediate action to make our voices heard. Take action now to protect wild summer steelhead – Please sign the Action Alert to State Legislators below!
Want to do more for our iconic summer steelhead? Here’s how:
Contact your State Legislators directly to communicate your concerns to your state representatives.
Call or email: Tell them you oppose SB 512. A brief, personal message is best. You can say something like: "I urge you to oppose SB 512. Restarting a summer steelhead hatchery program will reverse efforts to recover the North Umpqua’s wild steelhead. And after it burned to the ground, the Rock Creek Hatchery remains a terrible spot to spend taxpayer money."
Sign up to testify in person or virtually. Want to make a big impact? Join us on Thursday at 1pm to testify to the committee. Advanced sign-up is required here. Click the link and then choose "Register to Testify" in the grey bar toward the top.
Submit Written Testimony. Providing brief, written testimony to the public record can help show the groundswell of public support for sound wild fish management. Submit written testimony by 1pm on February 8 by clicking the link and selecting "Submit Testimony" in the grey bar toward the top.
Spread the Word! Share this alert with your network – family, friends, colleagues – and encourage them to take action. The more voices we have, the stronger our message will be.
Sign up to testify at 1pm this Thursday, February 6th—don’t miss this opportunity to speak up for Oregon’s wild fish!
If you have any questions or would like assistance in crafting your testimony, please don’t hesitate to reach out to NFS Legislative and Policy Director Jennifer Fairbrother at jennifer@nativefishsociety.org.
Every voice counts in protecting wild fish. Let’s work together to safeguard Oregon’s wild fish and rivers for generations to come. Wild is the Future!