Minutes from the NOF Grays Harbor Adviser meeting. Mike did them and frankly much better than I do.


2016 Grays Harbor North of Falcon Advisory Group Meeting March 9, 2016 6- 8 p.m.
Region 6 Office, Montesano, WA
Staff: Mike Scharpf, Barbara McClellan, Chad Herring

Spring Chinook fishery
• Season May 1 through July 31
• Season April 16 through July 31

Skookumchuck spring chinook harassment when opening Oct 1 instead of Oct 15
• Very little coho available that early in the season for fishers
• Present something for the reason behind the issue

Wishkah River
• Low release due to fish die
• Consider closing

Commercial sector’s opinion of the model shown is that the days in Humptulips 2C is a waste of time in the first week of November.

Commercial Fishery
1. Option 1: Fish 3rd week of October in 2C (24 hour days), Release UM Coho
• Week 43 - 2 days
• Week 44 - 1 day
• Week 45 - 1 day
• Output
o 5.4% UM CHK impacts
o 4.9% Coho impacts

2. Option 2: 12 hour days
• Week 43 – 2 days
• Week 44 – 2 days
• Output
o 5.4 % CHK impacts
o 4.87% coho impacts

There should be consideration to re-opening the outer part of the Marine Area 2.2 for the recreational fishery if / when the natural coho runsize becomes larger than the escapement.

Wishkah
• Possibly close earlier than normal, Nov 30 instead of Jan. 31

If there is harvestable available then model:
• 1 unmarked coho retention or
• 1 fish bag limit and done fishing (hatchery chinook, hatchery coho, unmarked coho, chum) in Marine Area 2.2 and freshwater (where hatchery fish are available)
• Would keep people from sorting through unmarked fish to get to their hatchery fish.

Wynoochee
• One fish per day since no hatchery fish planted

Retain the first fish landed no matter which species or mark status and stop fishing Close South Channel in Marine Area
Take all surplused carcasses not used by RFEG and use as nutrient enhancement
If we have an emergency closure in freshwater do not reopen especially in upper sections Public Comment:
If tribes give up fishing for coho then WDFW should too

Request the presentation that DFW will give or gave to the Fish Committee to look at before the conference call on March 22

Shorter recreational season Oct – Nov with 2 fish limit then Dec for steelhead