It's not the attention-grabber on the November ballot, but a measure that would ban most commercial fishing nets from Washington waters is shaping up to be a nasty fight.
Both sides are accusing each other of playing dirty as the campaign for Initiative 696 heats up.
The commercial fishing industry asked the state to investigate alleged campaign finance violations by the sponsor of I-696, a sport fishing enthusiast engaged in a long-running feud with the commercial trawlers.
The sponsor, Tom Nelson of Seattle, recently got even by signing up for the logical choice for a ``no'' campaign Web site - www.noon696.org - infuriating foes who planned to use that Internet address.
Nelson has said he filed the initiative to protect salmon, seabirds and other sealife from commercial drift net fishing and bottom dragging.
And while salmon restoration is a hot topic nowadays, I-696 hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as Initiative 695, which would drastically reduce the tax on car tabs and require a public vote on all tax and fee increases.
But given the acrimonious history of the fishing industry, voters are likely to take notice as the campaign season heats up for the Nov. 2 elections.
I-696 would ban all fishing nets with the exception of reef nets, crab and shrimp pots, and herring dip-bag nets in Washington waters. It also would bar commercial trolling.
That 1995 measure sparked a bitter battle between sports anglers and commercial fishermen, who spent about $1 million to defeat it. The sports anglers figure they'll be outspent again by commercial fishing companies and their suppliers, but they're vowing not to be outsmarted.
Nelson said he registered the ``no'' Web site just to ``kick sand in their face'' for filing the campaign finance complaints, which remain under investigation by the state Public Disclosure Commission. The industry has accused Nelson of illegally soliciting donations.
Nelson said he has no plans - for now - of putting any information on the site. The ``yes'' campaign's Web site is www.yes696.org.
Ed Owens, a lobbyist and head of the commercial fishing industry's campaign to defeat the measure, said stealing the Web site was a low blow.
``That's the act of a very, very desperate campaign,'' Owens said, adding that his group ended up registering for www.noon696.com.
He also accused Nelson and his supporters of orchestrating a campaign of intimidating telephone calls to foes.
``It's just a repeating pattern of misbehavior,'' Owens said.
``Voters want campaigns to be clean, ethical and factual. It's outrageous.''
Nelson denied any knowledge of harassing phone calls.
``I think they're in big trouble, and they know it,'' Nelson said.
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