OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting new catch sharing plans for Columbia River spring and summer Chinook salmon Dec. 12-13 in Olympia.
     The meeting, which will include several public comment periods, will be on the first floor of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E.
     An agenda for the meeting is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/com/meetings.htm.
     Before the meeting, the commission will meet Dec. 11 with the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission in Portland to discuss recommendations developed by a joint working group for apportioning fishing opportunities for Chinook salmon between sport and commercial fisheries in the lower Columbia River, according to an announcement from the Washington commission.
     Goals of the plan, which is not yet finalized, are to provide greater stability for spring and summer Chinook fisheries while meeting conservation goals for wild salmon, the announcement continued.
     The joint meeting will be from 12:30-3:30 p.m. in the Oak Room of the Embassy Suites Portland Airport. The meeting is open to the public, but no public comment period will be held.
     The Columbia River Fish Working Group was created by the two state commissions to develop policy recommendations on joint issues, starting with allocation policies for spring and summer Chinook salmon, according to the announcement.
     Three commissioners from each state serve as voting members, and are joined by top fishery managers and citizen advisers representing sport and commercial fisheries, and local communities in Washington and Oregon.
     The Oregon commission is scheduled to consider adoption of the group’s recommendations on Chinook salmon Dec. 12, a day after they are presented at the joint meeting.
     In addition to possible action on a Chinook-allocation policy, the Washington commission will consider proposals at its Dec. 12-13 meeting that would:
     - Extend the current sturgeon management policy on the lower Columbia River through 2009.
     - Update facility requirements for oiled-bird rehabilitation activities.
     - Allow the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to acquire two properties for wildlife conservation in Okanogan County and a right of way for bridge improvements in Yakima County.