Halibut anglers will have three different ways to weigh in on open dates for the 2015 spring all-depth halibut fishery in the Central Coast subarea — attend a public meeting, participate in the meeting via webinar, or take an on-line survey. The Central Coast subarea extends from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt., and includes all developed ports in Oregon except Brookings, Gold Beach, and those in the Astoria area. The seasons for the Columbia River and Southern Oregon subareas have already been established for this year. “We want all anglers to have the ability to help shape the halibut season, and understand that many cannot attend the public meeting in person. The webinar and online survey provide a means for all anglers to have a voice,“ said Patrick Mirick, halibut assistant project leader for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Participants in the process will help choose the number of season dates and the weeks in which those open dates will occur. The public meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at the ODFW Newport office, 2040 SE Marine Science Drive. Participants also can join the meeting on-line at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/768250205., or dial in at (872) 240-3412. Meeting ID: 768-250-205. Finally, anglers can offer their input through an on-line survey available at on the ODFW website. For questions, or to provide additional comments without attending the meeting, anglers should contact Patrick Mirick at 541-867-0300 ext. 223 or by email: Patrick.P.Mirick@state.or.us or Lynn Mattes at 541-867-0300 ext. 237 or by email: lynn.mattes@state.or.us. The fax number is 541-867-0311.
