WDFW Encourages Public Input for Salmon Season Setting

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are hopeful for an influx of public participation regarding salmon fishing season setting. The entity is encouraging public input by offering a variety of opportunities to weigh in on setting salmon season.

The first opportunity for public input is this Friday with the statewide forecast meeting.

"Friday is what we call our preseason forecast kick off meeting," said Kyle Adicks, salmon policy lead. "We spend a fair amount of time going through presentations with department staff, going through all the things like environmental conditions that will affect our fisheries this year, what our conservation objectives are and finally what our preseason forecast is for this year."

The meeting is held from 9:30-12 p.m. in Olympia at the Department of Social and Health Services Office Building 2 Auditorium. For those looking to add input without leaving the zip code, WDFW has other options. Several meetings will be recorded along with comments being accepted online beginning in mid-March.

According to Adicks, there is a meeting in each of WDFW's six regions. The meeting for North Central Washington's region will be in East Wenatchee on March 20 in the Douglas County PUD public meeting room, 6-8 p.m.

"We just try to get the public engaged, have them come out and tell us what they're interested in, what they're looking for from fisheries," said Adicks. "We can tell them what the limitations are likely going to be for the year. We try to take all that information and set our salmon seasons for the year.