DFWs Looking For New Columbia Rec Fishing Advisors

Ever want to get an inside look at Lower and Mid-Columbia salmon, steelhead and sturgeon fishery management and provide input directly to state managers on them?

Now’s the time to put in for a position on the 20-member Columbia River Recreational Fishing Advisory Group, comprised of regular anglers, guides, industry representatives and others.

Applications are being taken through November 3, and the term is for three years, starting this coming January.

“These advisory groups provide an important connection between the public and the states of Washington and Oregon in order to provide fishing opportunities,” said ODFW and WDFW Columbia River managers Jeff Whisler and Ryan Lothrop, respectively, in near-twin press releases sent out by the agencies in midafternoon.

Their request for nominations outlines expectations from advisors. That includes:

• Regularly attending the two to four meetings a year of the group, as well as participation in North of Falcon and the much more frequent Columbia River Compact calls;
• Keeping up to speed on issues concerning the sport fishery from Buoy 10 upstream to Pasco;
• Providing “objective,” informed assessments about the fisheries and industry;
• Providing input on the jointly managed fisheries “while achieving conservation needs and management guidelines”;
• And acting as a comms link between the DFWs and the sportfishing world, including anglers, tackle shops and others, all in a “professional and respectful manner.”

Sportfishing advisors are often the first people called on during Columbia River Compact calls as state managers mull openings, closings, extensions and other tweaks to the various seasons.

“The Departments are seeking individuals from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and fisheries of interest,” the agencies said in an email notice. “We encourage all interested individuals who have the pertinent fishery experience and can meet the expectations as an advisor to apply, and note that we are especially interested in hearing from individuals that participate in recreational fisheries upstream of Bonneville Dam and in commercial Select Area fisheries.” 

They say that current CRAG members can reapply.

Applicants are asked to submit a résume that includes their name, address, phone number and email address and organization, if applicable; a description of Columbia fisheries they partake in and for how long; rationale for serving as an advisor and how they plan to communicate advisory group activities to constituents; and affiliations to related orgs or guide or charter fleets.

Washington residents are advised to mail nominations to WDFW Region 5 Ridgefield Office, 5525 South 11th Street, Ridgefield, WA 98642, fax to 360-906-6776, or email them to to myrtice.dobler@dfw.wa.gov.

Oregon residents can mail them to ODFW, 17330 S.E. Evelyn Street, Clackamas, OR 97015, fax to 971-673-6072, or email crista.a.gortmaker@odfw.oregon.gov.

The DFWs also put out a call for nontreaty commercial advisors.