Nominations Sought For Columbia River Fishing Advisory Groups

Nominations are open for advisors to fill positions on the commercial and recreational advisory groups from Washington and Oregon to provide input on fishing seasons on the Columbia River.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced Oct. 13 that they’re accepting nominations through Nov. 3 for appointees to three-year terms on the Columbia River Commercial Fishing Advisory Group and the Columbia River Recreational Fishing Advisory Group.

The new terms begin in January 2024 and run through December 2026.

Each group meets two to four times annually to develop recommendations for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and smelt fisheries.

The recreational advisory group focuses on recreational fisheries jointly managed by Washington/Oregon from Buoy 10 upstream to Highway 395 at Pasco. The commercial advisory group focuses on lower Columbia River commercial fisheries (mainstem and Select Areas). Members are expected to participate within the North of Falcon season-setting process for salmon fisheries, Columbia River Compact/Joint State hearings and advisory group meetings.

Up to 20 applicants from Washington and Oregon will be chosen for each advisory group, representing a wide array of fishing interests. More is available in the following embedded links about the Columbia River Recreational Fishing Advisory Group and the Commercial Fishing Advisory Group.

Advisors are to be selected based on their fishery experience, willingness to engage in the management process, geographic and diverse affiliation representation, and their ability to communicate with fishery managers and other organizations.

Nominations should be accompanied by a resume that includes the individual’s name, address, telephone number, email address and if applicable the individual or organization submitting the nomination.

It should also include a description of which Columbia River Basin fisheries the nominee participates in, including number of years of participation, reasons for wanting to be an advisor, a description of how the nominee intends to communicate information with other constituents in their area, and affiliations to fishery-related organizations.

Nominations for Washington residents can be submitted by mail to WDFW Region 5 Ridgefield Office, 5525 South 11th St., Ridgefield, WA 98642 or email to [email protected].

Nominations for Oregon residents can be submitted by mail to ODFW, 17330 S.E. Evelyn St., Clackamas, OR 97015 or email to [email protected].

Source: https://fishermensnews.com/nominations-sought-for-columbia-river-fishing-advisory-groups/