Meeting cancelled to consider sturgeon retention

Washington and Oregon officials cancelled a public meeting scheduled for Wednesday to consider reopening sturgeon retention in the lower Columbia River.
The states have been working in recent weeks to develop proposals for a limited retention season for waters downstream of Bonneville Dam.
Sturgeon retention has not been allowed downstream of Bonneville since 2013 due to concerns about the population, including poor spawning success and predation by Steller sea lions.
Ron Roler, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the states decided to seek additional public comment before considering a fishery.
In an unusual move, the teleconference meeting was cancelled 17 minutes before it was scheduled to begin.