Community News - December 27, 2012

A Winter Affair

Students in the Wahkiakum schools music program and drama club presented their Winter Concert and a one-act play, The Gift. Above left, Darla Mead directs the advanced band, and right, the beginning band. Mark Phillips directed the play; below, performers were, l-r, Cattral Patterson, Mariah Warner, Kyra Scuito, Taryn Peterson, Hailee Wyatt, Bonnie Ellis and Kalli Mogush. Photos by Rick Nelson.

Hunters' reports due January 10

Hunters have a chance to win one of nine 2013 special hunting permits if they report this year’s hunting activities for black bear, deer, elk, or turkey to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) by Jan. 10.

Those who meet the deadline will be included in a drawing for five deer permits and four elk permits in various areas of the state. Those permits will be valid from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, 2013.

To qualify for the drawing, hunters must submit a report for each black bear, deer, elk, or turkey tag they purchased and for each special hunting permit they received in 2012.

All hunters, whether successful or not, are required to submit hunting reports for those species by Jan. 31. Failure to meet the deadline can result in a $10 fine, payable before a hunter can purchase a 2013 license.

Hunters can report by phone (877 945-3492) or the Internet https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov . Hunters should be prepared to give the game management unit they hunted and their individual WILD identification number, which is printed on license documents.

Barbless hooks required on Columbia

Starting New Year's Day, anglers will be required to use barbless hooks until further notice when fishing for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat on a large section of the Columbia River.

The rule issued December 20 by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will affect sport fisheries from the mouth of the Columbia River - including the north jetty - upstream to the state border with Oregon, 17 miles upstream from McNary Dam.

Under the new rule, anglers may still use single-point, double-point, or treble hooks in those waters, so long as any barbs have been filed off or pinched down.

State fishery managers said the immediate need for the rule is to make Washington's fishing regulations consistent with those in Oregon, where that state's fish and wildlife commission recently approved a broad-based measure that prohibits Oregonian license holders from using barbed hooks on the Columbia River starting Jan. 1.

"Fisheries can be very difficult to manage under two different sets of rules," said Guy Norman, WDFW southwest region director. "The two states have worked together for nearly a hundred years to maintain regulatory consistency on the river that serves as a common boundary."

In recent months, both states have been discussing a ban on barbed hooks as part of broad-based policy to restructure Columbia River fisheries to promote the recovery of wild salmon and steelhead. As a conservation tool, barbless hooks are easier to remove than barbed hooks, reducing the likelihood of killing or injuring the fish, Norman said.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, which sets policy for WDFW, is scheduled to take action next month on the new draft policy that includes a ban on barbed hooks and a variety of other management changes.

A vote on the draft policy, which also includes phasing out the use of gillnets by non-tribal fishers in the mainstem Columbia River by 2017, is scheduled Jan. 12 during a public meeting in Olympia. More information about the draft policy is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/lower--columbia/ .

End of the year clam digging set

State fishery managers have approved an end-of-the-year razor clam dig over four evenings, leading up to and including New Year’s Eve.

They also announced a tentative schedule for additional digs in 2013, subject to prior testing for marine toxins. Information about both confirmed and tentative digs are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/razorclams/current.html .

The upcoming dig will begin Dec. 28 after noon at Twin Harbors and expand to include three other ocean beaches through Dec. 31.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) confirmed the dig after marine toxin tests at all four beaches confirmed the clams are safe to eat. No digging will be allowed at any of those beaches until after noon.

"Razor clam digging on New Year’s Eve has become a tradition for many Washingtonians," said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. "The tides aren’t conducive to a holiday dig every year, but they’re with us this year."

The following beaches will be open for digging on the following schedule and evening low tides:

Dec. 28, Friday, 6:42 p.m., -0.3 ft., Twin Harbors.

Dec. 29, Saturday, 7:15 p.m., -0.3 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks.

Dec. 30, Sunday, 7:47 p.m., -0.2 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis.

Dec. 31, Monday, 8:20 p.m., 0.0 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis.

January designated National Radon Awareness Month

January is Radon Action Month according to the Surgeon General. Health agencies throughout the U.S. have joined forces to promote awareness of the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. The American Lung Assocation, Centers for Disease Control, and National Cancer Institute all agree that radon is a national health problem and encourge radon testing during the January awareness drive.

 Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible and odorless gas. One in 15 American homes contains high levels of radon. By taking simple steps to test a home for radon and fix if necessary, this health hazard can be avoided.

 Radon problems have been detected in homes in every county of the U.S. If a home hasn’t been tested for radon in the past two years, EPA and the Surgeon General urge that action be taken. Contact the state radon office for information on locating qualified test kits or qualified radon testers.

 Federal efforts will focus on radon reduction and mitigation in homes, especially those of low-income families. Learn more about the Federal Radon Action Plan at http://www.RadonPlan.org.