States will convene to set several 2016 fishing seasons, Jan. 27

Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington will convene a hearing Jan. 27 to set 2016 recreational and commercial seasons for several fisheries in the Columbia River, Select Areas, and tributaries. The hearing will take place starting at 10 a.m. at the Washington State School for the Blind, located at 2214 East 13th Street, in Vancouver, WA 98661. The purpose of this hearing is to review the status of various stocks and consider fishing seasons in the Columbia River and/or Select Areas, including recreational and commercial spring salmon, commercial smelt, recreational sturgeon above Bonneville Dam, and treaty winter seasons. Tributary recreational smelt fisheries will also be considered. At the hearing, the agencies will accept comments from the public before setting season dates and bag limits. For more information, visit ODFW’s Columbia River Management page on-line at www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/OSCRP/CRM/index.asp.