Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3703 Jan 18-Feb 2 2018 | Page 5
Jan 18 - Feb 2, 2018
VOL.37 • ISS. 02
Hey Dan! — Letters To The Editor
COVER STORY
3
Established
1982
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Captain Roger Thomas
Passes Away
Hey Dan!
Lawson said, “When I first met Roger, I was a
kid working on my uncle’s party boat. Once I
started commercial fishing, anytime there was a
crisis in the industry, he was always there cam-
paigning. He was a champion of the fisheries,
always there hammering for the fisheries, for
everyone. He’s going to be missed.”
“Roger could have stayed home but instead
whenever he wasn’t fishing he was traveling
and working on behalf of the rest of us who fish
salmon,” said GGSA executive director John
McManus. “He was a great inspiration to me
and many others.”
In the 1980s, he was appointed by then Vice
President George Bush to the National Sea
Grant Review Panel. In this role, he traveled
to ports around the country and helped decide
which projects were worthy and would be
funded.
Roger was instrumental in helping pass the
1992 Central Valley Improvement Act, a key
law to protect salmon and the Bay Delta. When
salmon populations collapsed in 2008 and 2009,
Roger worked closely with Congress to success-
fully provide disaster relief to salmon fishermen.
Roger Thomas’ tireless work earned him the
respect and adoration of countless people up and
down the west coast and across the country. He
will be sorely missed.
GGSA secretary Dick Pool, who partnered
with Roger on salmon issues for over 30 years,
said, “Roger was an iconic leader in the man-
agement and enhancement of West Coast salm-
on and other marine fish. He spent a lifetime
working to improve the conditions for the fish
and for fishermen. His work and legacy will
last for many decades into the future.”
San Francisco -- It’s with great sadness that
the Golden Gate Salmon Association an-
nounces the passing of Captain Roger Thomas
from pancreatic cancer. Thomas passed on the
morning December 19 with his lifelong friend
and partner Captain Jacky Douglas at his side.
Roger Thomas was captain of the charter
boat Salty Lady, a member of the California
Outdoor Hall of Fame, and a lifelong advocate
to keep west coast salmon fisheries alive and
sustainable. Everyone knew him to be an hon-
orable and remarkable man, a friend, mentor
and colleague. In a recognition, he received
from the US Congress in May, he was found
to be “one of the most decent and hard-work-
ing human beings one can know.”
Born in Gilroy, California, he started fishing
at an early age for striped bass from the beach-
es along Monterey Bay and later for salmon
from a small boat launched at the Monterey
Pier. He was hooked on salmon fishing and be-
came a regular customer on charter boats out
of San Francisco. He worked as a deckhand on
a charter boat and later got his own captain’s
license in 1968.
He represented the charter boat fleet boats
from Fort Bragg to Monterey as President of
the Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association from
1973 until this year. He was the Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the Golden Gate
Salmon Association, a coalition of commercial
and recreational fishermen and others that
works to protect and restore Central Valley
salmon habitat.
~Michael Coats, Golden Gate
For 14 years, he served on the Pacific Fish-
Salmon Association (GGSA)
eries Management Council (PFMC), which,
among other duties, sets the ocean salmon
seasons. Roger was a member of the Bay
Hey Michael!
Delta Advisory board, the Winter Run-Captive
I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of Rog-
Broodstock Committee, the Central Valley
er Thomas. I spent many hours with him fighting
Fisheries Coalition, the Marine Advisory
for the passage of the Central Valley Project
Committee to the Secretary of Commerce,
Improvement Act of 1999, battling to defend it in
the Coastal Resources Foundation, the Pacific
the face of Congressional attacks and working to
States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Na-
restore salmon and other West Coast fisheries.
tional Sea Grant Review Panel and the Marine
I completely agree with recognition he
Resources Committee.
received from the US Congress in May when
Victor Gonella, founder of GGSA, remem-
he was found to be “one of the most decent and
bers Roger Thomas as a man that touched his
hard-working human beings one can know.”
life deeply. “From his fishing expertise to
During his 14 years of service on the PFMC,
his constant grace under pressure in adverse
I frequently talked to him about the salmon and
conditions while fighting for salmon, Roger
groundfish seasons and regulations. He was the
was always a true gentleman. Both at the state one person I knew who could always explain in
and federal level, including his many trips to
clear and concise terms exactly what was going
Washington DC, he represented California
on at any given time.
salmon interests. For over 40 years Roger
I also served with Roger on the Board of
made a major difference in maintaining our
the Golden Gate Salmon Association for three
California salmon stocks and the sustainable
years, as well as on the Water4Fish.org Board
harvest they allow. Roger was a true salmon
of Directors, I’m very proud to be a member of
hero.”
the California Outdoor Hall of Fame along with
In addition to salmon fishing out of Sau-
Roger.
salito and Half Moon Bay, Roger ran whale
Roger will be greatly missed by recreational
watching and nature trips that introduced thou- anglers, commercial fishermen, environmental-
sands of children and adults to the magic of
ists and all of those who care about the oceans,
marine life. He spent more than 10,000 days
rivers, fisheries and the public trust
on the ocean where he shared his deep knowl-
~Dan
edge and appreciation
of the natural world. He
was one of the last to
see San Joaquin Spring
2906
San Jose’s most “COMPLETE” tackle store!
run chinook