AT
AT FOUR.
AT FOUR. WE BEGIN WITH A MAJOR STORY AFFECTING
ANGLERS IN IDAHO -- THE
SUSPENSION OF
STEELHEAD FISHING.
THAT TAKES EFFECT IN
JUST A FEW HOURS.
THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT
OF FISH AND GAME SAYS
COMMISSIONERS DECIDED
TO CLOSE THE SEASON
AFTER SEVERAL GROUPS
AFTER THREATENED TO
SUE.
THE ISSUE? THOSE
GROUPS SAY THE STATE'S
PLAN TO PROTECT WILD
STEELHEAD HAS EXPIRED.
JOE PARRIS IS LIVE IN
RIGGINS, WHERE PEOPLE
ARE PREPARING TO STAGE
A MAJOR
DEMONSTRATION.
JOE?
DEMONSTRATION. JOE? TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT
THE STEELHEAD SEASON
SUSPENSION BEGINS -- AT
LEAST UNTIL THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ISSUES A
NEW PLAN AND PERMIT.
AS YOU CAN SEE -- THE
BOATS ARE OUT OF THE
WATER HERE IN RIGGINS.
PEOPLE HERE HOPE THIS
VISUAL OF BOATS NOT AT
WORK SENDS A MESSAGE,
THAT THERE IS GOING TO
BE A LOT OF LOST
BUSINESS.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE
ANGLERS WHO WILL LOSE
BUSINESS, THE TOWN SAYS
THEY WILL ALL LOSE. AND
A DRAMATIC AMOUNT.
"RIGHT
"RIGHT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY SEVERAL MILLION
DOLLARS BEING LOST
FROM THE TOWN OF
RIGGINS BECAUSE OF THIS
CLOSURE."
THE SUSPENSION OF
STEELHEAD FISHING
SEASON IS TICKING
CLOSER AND CLOSER TO
MIDNIGHT. OUTFITTER
AND CITY COUNCILMAN
ROY AKINS SAYS HERE IN
THE TOWN OF RIGGINS
THEY ARE BRACING FOR
MAJOR IMPACTS.
IT'S A WINTER SPORT
OFTEN THESE COLD
WINTER DAYS ARE WHEN
THE FISH BITE THE BEST,
WHEN THEY ARE MOST
AVAILABLE TO US.
THE COMMUNITY HERE
SAYS THEY ARE PAYING
THE PRICE FOR A
PAPERWORK
TECHNICALITY ON THE
STATES ENDANGERED
SPECIES ACT PERMIT. THAT
ALLOWS FOR THE CATCH
AND RELEASE OF WILD
STEELHEAD.
"BECAUSE THAT PERMIT IS
NOT IN OUR HANDS OR
THE STATES HANDS, SOME
OUTSIDE GROUPS WERE
ABLE TO LEVERAGE AN
INTENT TO SUE IDAHO
FISH AND GAME AND
FORCE THEM TO CLOSE
THE SEASON."
"THE STEELHEAD FISHING
IS HUGE HERE, FOR US,
FOR THE OUTFITTERS, FOR
EVERYBODY. IT'S A
LIVELIHOOD."
JOHN BELTON - OWNER
OF THE SEVEN DEVILS
STEAKHOUSE IN RIGGINS
SAYS THE EFFECTS OF
LOSING THE SEASON ARE
PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
"SOMETHING THIS SEVERE
IS GOING TO HURT
EVERYBODY SEVERELY."
AND IT WILL FORCE MANY
BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE
JOHN TO MAKE VERY
DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
"MORE THAN LIKELY
CLOSE, YOU KNOW I'D
RATHER STAY OPEN AND
KEEP THE EMPLOYEES
GOING FOR A LIVING BUT
YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU
GOTTA DO."
"IT'S REALLY GOING TO
HURT, IT'S GOING TO HURT
BAD. I MAY HAVE TO LAY
OFF MY TWO EMPLOYEES
TO GET THROUGH THE
WINTER."
JUST DOWN THE ROAD
REXANN ZIMMERMAN -
OWNER OF HOOK LINE
AND SINKER TACKLE SHOP
REITERATES WHAT
EVERYONE IN TOWN IS
THINKING.
"IT'S DEVASTATING, IT'S
ABSOLUTELY GOING TO
DEVASTATE RIGGINS. IT
REALLY IT. IT WILL ABOUT
IT DOWN FOR PROBABLY 3
MONTHS."
"THE MOTELS, THE
RESTAURANTS, THE GAS
STATIONS YOU KNOW, ALL
OF IT. IT HAS A HUGE
IMPACT ON OUR TOWN."
AS THE PEOPLE OF
RIGGINS CONTINUE TO
FIGHT, MANY HERE SAY
THEY ARE STAYING
POSITIVE.
"RIGHT NOW WE ARE
DOING EVERYTHING WE
CAN TO HOPEFULLY
PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT
WE CAN FIND SOME WAY
TO MOVE FORWARD, KEEP
OUR SEASON OPEN AND
WAIT FOR THAT PERMIT
TO BE IN HAND SO WE
ARE BACK IN
ACCORDANCE WITH ALL
THE LAWS."
"I'VE GOTTA REMAIN
OPTIMISTIC, THE GLASS
HAS GOTTA BE HALF FULL,
IT'S JUST GOTTA BE. YOU
CAN'T JUST ROLL OVER
AND QUIT! SO YEAH, I'M
OPTIMISTIC, I'M HOPING"
TOMORROW
TOMORROW HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WILL GATHER