Senator Jeff Merkley confirmed Tuesday that he will be a special guest at the 15th Annual Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association’s Oregon Banquet Saturday.
The event, being held at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Portland from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Senator Merkley is scheduled to speak around 7 p.m.
“We are very excited to have the senator attend our event, as he has been a great friend to anglers,” said NSIA Executive Director Liz Hamilton. “We plan to present the senator a plaque in recognition on his support of public lands and the Land and Water Conservation Funds that have helped to keep areas open for fishing and hunting.”
The NSIA has been actively involved in the discussion about how to handle public lands in Oregon. The Outdoor Industry Association has found that active outdoor recreation generates $12.8 billion annually in consumer spending in Oregon, supports 141,000 jobs across the state, which generates $4 billion in wages and salaries and produces $955 million annually in state and local tax revenue.
Saturday’s event is one of the NSIA’s largest fundraisers, for more information contact Stephanie Bremner at 503-631-8859.