Here's some more information regarding the upcoming WDFW Commission meetings...

January 14th and 15th the Commission will be holding a "workshop", which is a meeting that is not open to the public, where they are briefed by the Department on upcoming issues. At that meeting the Department will brief them on the Col. River gillnet fishery and the request to triple the ESA impacts on the steelhead.

On Feb. 4th and 5th, the Commission will be holding a public meeting, in Olympia, to accept public comment, and Department comment, on many different issues, including the Col. River gillnet fishery.

This is the meeting that MUST be overwhelmingly attended by the sportsmen and conservationists to speak out against the increased gillnet impacts.

It is also important that the Commission receive all of our comments prior to the Jan. 14/15 workshop, so that they have the anti-increase perspective clear and present in their minds when they are hearing the Department's justifications for it.

On a happy note, the agenda for the Feb. meeting is not yet complete, so I don't know which day the public comment is being received for this...but it will probably be on the 5th...which is a Saturday! This ought to help us out immensely in getting lots of bodies there to take up space, time, and get all of our comments heard!

I have yet to hear what day(s) the ODFW Commission will be taking this up, but I'll post it as soon as I can find out.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. Start making plans and carpool arrangements for that meeting!