The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) annual salmon fishing season setting process includes two public meetings in eastern Washington - March 24 in Clarkston and March 25 in Kennewick.

The Tuesday, March 24, meeting runs 6 - 8 p.m. at Walla Walla Community College's Main Lecture Hall, 1470 Bridge Street, in Clarkston.

The Wednesday, March 25, meeting runs 6 - 8 p.m. at the Benton Public Utility District (PUD) building, 2721 W. 10th Ave. in Kennewick.

Both meetings will include discussion of and public comment on 2015 Columbia and Snake River and tributaries fishery management objectives and preliminary options for spring, summer and fall sport fisheries.

WDFW Regional Fish Program Managers -- John Whalen of Spokane, John Easterbrooks of Yakima, and Jeff Korth of Ephrata -- note that over the next several weeks, state and tribal co-managers will develop seasons that focus fishing opportunities on abundant hatchery and healthy wild salmon populations.

They explain the first step is meeting conservation objectives for depressed wild salmon stocks, but several of this year's forecasts indicate those goals can be met and still have strong fisheries. The forecasts for spring, summer, and fall Chinook and sockeye are similar to last year's returns.

Complete information about salmon forecasts, the statewide meeting schedule, and on-line comment submission is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/ .

All input will be considered as the season-setting process moves into the "North of Falcon" and Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) meetings, which will determine the final 2015 salmon seasons at an April 11-16 meeting in California.