[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12391]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING BILL TOWNSEND

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 23, 2015

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bill Townsend, 
who will be ninety-nine years old on August 13, 2015, for his many 
years of service to Mendocino County.
  Since 1947, Mr. Townsend has dedicated his time, talent, and energy 
to the health of our forests and rivers, and to the youth of Mendocino 
County. A lifelong sportsman, Mr. Townsend has demonstrated an enduring 
commitment to preserving our natural resources for future generations. 
For sixty years, he has volunteered his time, beginning with his work 
at the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery in 1955. His contributions have included 
everything from fish ladders, Pike Minnow Derbies, stream restoration 
projects, and 43 years of grilling fish at the ``World's Largest Salmon 
Barbeque'' in Fort Bragg, California, which raises funds for fisheries.
  With his dedication to fish habitat restoration, it was fitting that 
in 1973 the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors appointed Bill to the 
Mendocino County Fish and Game Commission where he served as chairman 
for 15 years until he retired in 1988. Throughout his tenure on the 
commission, Mr. Townsend worked tirelessly to support healthy fisheries 
and integrate youth education into the Commission's projects.
  Mr. Townsend served as president of Salmon Unlimited for three years 
starting in 1991, where he played an instrumental role in the 
development of the hatchery on Rowdy Creek on the Smith River. Included 
in his legacy of accomplishments is his work to secure the fish 
hatchery at Coyote Dam, which was completed in 1996 and renamed the 
``Bill Townsend Fish Hatchery'' in 2004. He also served his community 
on the Russian River Flood Control Board for five years from 2005-2010, 
``retiring'' at the age of 97.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting to honor and thank Bill Townsend for his 
many years of dedicated service. I am privileged to express deep 
appreciation to Mr. Townsend for his profound impacts on our rivers and 
convey to him my best wishes on his ninety-ninth birthday.

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