Comanagers Agree On Skagit-Sauk Wild Steelhead Forecast
State and tribal comanagers have agreed to a Skagit-Sauk wild winter steelhead forecast of 5,215 fish, an almost carbon-copy of last season’s prediction for the big North Cascades rivers.
Next Round Of Washington Razor Clam Digs A Go; Jan. 9-15
Washington shellfish managers announce that the next set of razor clam digs on the coast will begin January 9.
Bonneville, The Dalles Keeper Sturgeon Fishery To Close
With the high participation and catch rates filling the guideline, Columbia River managers closed sturgeon retention on the Bonneville and The Dalles Pools after just two days of fishing.
Melcher To Retire As ODFW Director
ODFW announces that Curt Melcher, its director since 2014, will retire on April 1 and that recruitment for new head of the agency will begin soon.
$27 Million Awarded For Springer, Winter-run Restoration In Willamette
NMFS details how $27 million in federal funding will be spent to restore habitat for ESA-listed spring Chinook and winter steelhead and provide other benefits in Oregon’s Willamette Basin.
Petition Calls For Closing OlyPen Winter Steelhead Fishing Thru Mid-Feb.
Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission is being petitioned to close the early portion of the Olympic Peninsula’s 2023-24 steelhead season.
2024 OR Longleader Rockfish Limit 12; Cabezon Closed Till July 1
The new year brings a reminder from ODFW that for the 2024 season, the longleader rockfish limit increases to 12 a day and cabezon are off limits to harvest till July 1.
2023 Northwest Fish And Wildlife Year In Review
At the end of every year I take a look back at the Northwest fish and wildlife stories that made news, and 2023 did not disappoint.
Fishing Guides Wanted For WDFW Advisory Committee
WDFW is looking for fishing guides to serve on an advisory committee that will meet quarterly and provide input on “industry regulations, compliance, and enforcement.” Interested guides – active or recently retired, or biz owners – should apply by December 31.
ODFW Commission Decides Wolf Plan Needs No Revisions*
Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife Commission decided that the statewide wolf plan didn’t need revising during a five-year review, but directed ODFW to focus on livestock conflicts, poaching, and population monitoring.
4-Day Post-Christmas Razor Clam Dig Greenlighted On WA Coast
A four-day razor clam opener on the Washington Coast begins December 26 and coincides with a series of early evening minus tides.
The Power of Imagery: Projecting A Stronger, Fuller Picture Of Hunting
Simple changes in how we tell our hunting stories can have huge impacts in how hunting is perceived. Even through the distance of urbanization and even through the distorted lens of social media, we have the ability to make hunting not merely understandable but socially acceptable. We have the power to help ensure its safety for the future.
Digital Duck Stamps On The Way As Modernization Act Signed Into Law
The Duck Stamp Modernization Act will simplify the Federal Duck Stamp process by allowing hunters to have an electronic duck stamp on their smartphone for the entirety of the hunting season.
No Wild Spring Chinook Retention On Mainstem, North Umpqua
After a one-year reprieve and for the fourth time in at least five seasons, retention of wild spring Chinook on the mainstem Umpqua will be barred in 2024, as will it be on the North Umpqua.
Five Northeast Oregon Wolves Released in Colorado
Five wolves from three different packs were just captured in Northeast Oregon and released into northwestern Colorado as part of the latter state’s voter-mandated reintroduction of the polarizing species.
Comment Open On WDFW Commission Conservation Policy; Vote In Early 2024
Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission is asking for public comment on the latest iteration of the draft Conservation Policy ahead of its expected early 2024 vote.