Columbia River non-treaty commercial fisheries

Rule-making status: Permanent
Rule-making reference: #P2021-07

Summary of proposed rule

This rule making expands the types of gears available for commercial harvesting of salmon in the Columbia River and reduce the number of Washington non-treaty commercial licenses participating in the Columbia River gillnet fishery.

Scope and rationale for proposed rule

The purpose of this rule is to allow for alternative commercial fishing gears to be used for commercial fishing in the Lower Columbia River using an emerging commercial fishery license and an associated experimental gear permit. This fishery will be limited entry with participants chosen from a one-time lottery in the first year the fishery is offered. The anticipated effects are that some commercial fishers may use these gears to harvest salmon when fisheries are open for commercial harvest using the existing commercial allocation as described in Policy C-3630 for the Columbia River.  

Public comments

The comment period has closed as of August 3, 2022.

To view comments submitted on this proposal, please visit the Columbia River non-treaty commercial fisheries comment page.

Public hearing

August 3, 2022 at 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
This meeting took place both in-person at the WDFW Region 5 Ridgefield Office (5525 S 11th Street, Ridgefield, WA 98642) and virtually via Zoom meeting (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81450146884?pwd=bUJ6a
Tcxa2JDaG1CczhZd0J4dm9GUT09).

Date of Adoption: November 1, 2022

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

A SEPA threshold determination (PDF) was also available for comment. To view comments submitted on the SEPA Determination, please visit the Columbia River non-treaty commercial fisheries comment page.

For more information

Assistance for additional accessibility and persons with disabilities contact:
833-885-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov.