WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
October 20, 2017
Contact: Kelly Cunningham, 360-902-2325
WDFW announces additional meetings on management
of salmon, steelhead fishing guide industry
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has scheduled additional public meetings on management of the state's salmon and steelhead fishing guide industry.
In addition to previously scheduled meetings in Forks and in Lyle, the department has scheduled four more meetings to provide the public with more opportunities to participate.
All meetings are scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. and include the following dates and locations:
• Forks: Oct. 25, Rainforest Arts Center, 35 N. Forks Ave., Forks.
• Lyle: Nov. 8, Lyle Activities Center, Highway 14 and Third Street, Lyle.
• Ridgefield: Nov. 9, WDFW Region 5 office, 5525 S. 11th St., Ridgefield.
• Mill Creek: Nov. 13, WDFW Region 4 office,16018 Mill Creek Blvd., Mill Creek.
• East Wenatchee: Nov. 20, Douglas County PUD Offices, Main Auditorium, 1151 Valley Mall Pkwy, East Wenatchee.
• Clarkston: Nov. 21, Walla Walla Community College in the multi-purpose room, 1470 Bridge St., Clarkston.
During the 2017 legislative session, the Legislature directed WDFW to hold meetings to explore alternative structures for guide licensing, with the objectives of:
• Improving the fishing experience and ensuring equitable opportunity for both guided and non-guided river anglers,
• Managing fishing pressure to protect wild steelhead and other species; and
• Ensuring that recreational fish guiding remains a sustainable economic contributor to rural economies.
The Legislature directed WDFW to hold public meetings on the Olympic Peninsula and in the Klickitat River area. However, the department has scheduled four additional meetings, based on feedback from the public.
At the scheduled meetings, WDFW will discuss current management and take suggestions for potential regulatory changes for the fishing guide industry.
WDFW also is working with a contractor to develop and conduct a survey to capture feedback from those who cannot attend a meeting in person.
The department will provide a summary of its findings to the Legislature by the end of the year