Our Successes

These goals have guided the Northwest Steelheaders to achieve many successes over the past 50 years.  Some of the highlights for each decade include:

1960s
  • The Association of Northwest Steelheaders was created to protect our sport fisheries.
  • Northwest Steelheader members worked toward legislation that would classify Steelhead as a State Game fish. 
  • Fought commercial overharvesting and non-selective gill net practices in the Columbia River. 
  • Proposed legislation eliminating gill net take of Striped Bass in Coos Bay.
  • Helped pass the National Environmental Policy Act.
1970s
  • Steelhead classified as a State Game fish in 1974 thereby eliminating them as a targeted commercial gill net fishery. 
  • Filed suit against the Corps to stop construction on the Snake River Lower Granite dam project.
  • Gill nets legislated out of Coos Bay protecting Striped Bass fishery.
1980s
  • Fish protection language included in the Northwest Power Act.
  • Passage of stream-side riparian buffer zone rules.
  • Deschutes River land acquisition for public use.
  • Sandy River land acquisition for public use.
  • Fought High Seas Drift Net fishing that targeted Salmon and Steelhead beyond Territorial Waters.
  • U.S./Canada Salmon Interceptor Treaty signed.
  • In-stream water rights law passed to provide minimum stream flows.
  • NW Steelheaders are instrumental in the implementation of mass marking of hatchery fish allowing selective fisheries.
1990s
  • NW Steelheaders take a lead role in addressing predation by Cormorants and Sea Lions.
  • Helped to ban high Seas Drift Nets.
  • Introduced legislation that addressed unscreened irrigation diversions that affected threatened and endangered fish species.
  • NW Steelheaders take a lead role in protecting public rights to access Oregon’s navigable rivers and streams.
  • Joined coalition fighting Columbia River Hydro Management causing Salmon extinction.
  • Began efforts to remove the Sandy River Dam.
  • Passed legislation to fund Cormorant predation study and research.
21st Century
  • Willamette Spring Chinook fishery switched to selective fisheries as a result of our efforts to protect threatened and endangered native salmon.
  • Sandy River declared navigable thereby allowing greater access for anglers.
  • Clackamas River Dam FERC relicensing.
  • Won Lawsuit against federal Biop opinion, winning spill water at dams for juvenile salmon. 
  • John Day River declared navigable.
  • Became National Wildlife Federation Oregon Affiliate.
  • Blocked ship breaking in Yaquina Bay.
  • Won River Rights appeal at US Supreme Court.
  • Instrumental in passing legislation banning in water ship breaking in Oregon.
  • Caused seven miles of Sandy River above old Marmot Dam site for selective harvest.
  • Persuaded Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to require the release of wild spring Chinook.