Aberdeen among wild salmon policy briefing sites

ABERDEEN -- Area residents can learn about the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) proposal to save wild salmon at a public meeting from 7 to 9:30 p.m., May 22 at The Nordic Inn, 1700 S. Boone St.

The session offers the public a chance to review and comment on the draft Wild Salmonid Policy, which calls for dramatic changes to save wild salmonids, including native salmon, trout, char, grayling and whitefish.

The draft policy, created by WDFW at the direction of the Legislature, includes proposals for stricter fishing limits, changes in hatchery procedures to keep hatchery fish separate from wild stocks and creation of local watershed councils to protect fish habitat.

After a series of public meetings around the state, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold formal public hearings before adopting a version of the policy later this year.

Text of the draft Wild Salmonid Policy and related fact sheets are available on the WDFW's home page at wdfw.wa.gov on the Internet.