For nearly a century, Washington and Oregon have jointly managed fisheries on the lower river under authority granted to the states by Congress through the interstate Columbia River Compact.
We continue to believe that any effective long-term management plan must be developed by the two states working together, and that it must:
- Include jointly developed conservation objectives;
- Respect treaty Indian fishing rights and provide for close coordination with tribal fishery managers;
- Provide for shared hatchery production goals;
- Contain harvest management objectives for both commercial and recreational fisheries, recognizing their economic importance to both states; and
- Ensure the two states continue to have reciprocal regulations and concurrent enforcement authority.
The Washington Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife are ready to work with our counterparts in Oregon to engage in an open and transparent process to explore ways to improve the management of our commercial and recreational salmon and sturgeon fisheries in the lower Columbia River.
Phil Anderson
Director, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife