1997 salmon season-setting process begins Feb. 27 in Olympia

OLYMPIA -- The 1997 salmon fishing season-setting process will begin at 9 a.m. Feb. 27 when the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will provide to the public details of salmon run forecasts developed by the department, tribes, the federal government and fishing interests.

The forecasts will be used through the North of Falcon process that culminates during the week of April 7-11 in Millbrae, Calif. when the Pacific Fishery Management Council meets.

The Feb. 27 meeting to provide the public with information about projected run sizes will be held at the General Administration Building's auditorium in Olympia. The building is located on the capitol campus.

Other public meetings to develop the fishing seasons are:

• PFMC (March 3-7) -- Ocean fishing options will be developed. The meeting will take place at the Red Lion's Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah, Portland, Ore.

• North of Falcon No. 1 (March 12-13) -- Ocean options will be coordinated with possible fisheries in inside waters such as Puget Sound, Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay and the Columbia River. The meeting will take place at the Red Lion Inn at the Quay, 100 Columbia St., Vancouver, Wash.

• North of Falcon No. 2 (March 26-27) -- Continued discussions coordinating ocean fishing options with possible inside fisheries. The meeting will take place at the LaQuinta Inn, 1425 East 27th St., Tacoma.

• PFMC (April 7-11) -- Final ocean and inland fishing regulations will be adopted. The meeting will take place at the Clarion Hotel, 401 East Millbrae Ave., Millbrae, Calif.

Anyone wishing to attend and participate in the North of Falcon and PFMC meetings is welcome.

The federal government, through the PFMC, has jurisdiction over fisheries between three and 200 miles off the coast. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has jurisdiction over non-Indian fisheries in inland waters.