Meeting set in Cathlamet to consider coho harvest

State fishery managers from Washington and Oregon will meet for the second time with recreational and commercial fishery advisory groups Oct. 29 in Cathlamet to review the results of a new scientific assessment of harvest options for lower Columbia River coho salmon.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cathlamet Fire Hall, 255 Second St., at the corner of Second and Una.

The new assessment of harvest options, developed by WDFW and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, examines the risks posed by various rates of fishing on lower Columbia River coho populations.

The departments are preparing a recommendation to NOAA Fisheries for a new harvest management framework for coho designed to help ensure protection for wild coho while expanding fishing opportunities for hatchery fish during years of strong runs.

Wild Columbia River coho salmon are listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.