Washington Fishery Managers and Advisors Review Columbia River Coho Harvest Options
State fishery managers from Washington and Oregon will meet with recreational and commercial fishery advisory groups Oct. 8 to review the results of a new scientific assessment of harvest options for lower Columbia River coho salmon.
The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) regional office at 2108 Grand Blvd. in Vancouver, Wash.
The new assessment of harvest options, developed by WDFW and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, examines the risks posed by various rates of fishing on lower Columbia River coho populations.
The departments are preparing a recommendation to NOAA Fisheries for a new harvest management framework for coho designed to help ensure protection for wild coho while expanding fishing opportunities for hatchery fish during years of strong runs.
Wild coho salmon returning to the lower Columbia River are listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.
