Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Set to Consider Changes in Columbia River Fishing Policies
OutdoorHub 01.03.13
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting broad-based changes in policies governing salmon and sturgeon fisheries on the lower Columbia River at a public meeting Jan. 11-12 in Olympia.
The commission, which sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will meet both days starting at 8:30 a.m. in the Columbia Room of the state Legislative Building, Sid Snyder Ave. N.W.
The new draft policy would establish a new management framework that includes a higher allocation of salmon to the sport fishery, a gradual shift of commercial gillnets to enhanced off-channel areas and development of new selective gears for commercial fisheries on the mainstem Columbia River.
In other business, the commission will consider approving the sale of the Colville Fish Hatchery to Stevens County, and receive a briefing on sportfishing rules proposed for 2013-14. A separate briefing is also scheduled on management options for giant Pacific octopuses in Puget Sound.
An agenda for the meeting is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html.
