The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday and Saturday in Vancouver, with a lively exchange between Columbia River sport and commercial fishermen anticipated Saturday morning.
The nine-member panel will convene beginning at 8 a.m. both days at The Heathman Lodge, 7801 N.E. Greenwood Drive. It is the commission’s first meeting in Clark County in many years, as most are in Olympia.
Commission members are appointed by the governor for six-year terms and set policy for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with hiring and firing the agency director.
On Friday, the panel will start with an open public input period, where citizens are encouraged to comment on topics not on the meeting agenda.
Other Friday agenda items include:
• A briefing and public hearing on the status of northern spotted owls, snow plovers, western gray squirrels and greater sage grouse, all on the state’s threatened species list.
• A briefing on the state wildlife action plan to assist conserving species and habitats including a climate watch list and new maps for several species of greatest conservation need.
• Briefings on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s decision regarding halibut by catch in Bering Sea fisheries and on the annual North of Falcon salmon fishing planning process for Washington and northern Oregon.
• A briefing on poaching in Washington and its effects on legal harvest opportunities. The briefing will include an explanation of the license suspension process.
The commission has a half-day scheduled on Saturday.
An open public input session will begin at 8 a.m.
At 8:30 a.m., the topic will shift to Columbia River fishery management. Commission members will be a briefing by department staff, then panels representing sport and commercial fishing interests will address the commission.
Larry Cassidy Jr. of Vancouver, former chairman of the state Game Commission and a former chairman of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, also will address the panel.
Comments by the public will follow the panel presentations.
The final topic on Saturday will be the annual briefing on lower Columbia River sturgeon.
The commission is scheduled to adjourn at noon on Saturday.
