YAKIMA, Wash. – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has launched an online survey to gather public input on management strategies for salmon and steelhead in the Lower Columbia River. This survey aims to understand public values concerning conservation risks and fishing opportunities.
Senior Research Scientist Thomas Buehrens spoke about the survey’s goals, emphasizing the importance of balancing conservation with fishing opportunities.
“We have to use methods to demonstrate that they’re not going to, you know, really measurably increase extinction risk or reduce the probability that these populations can continue to move towards recovery,” he said.
The survey follows a virtual public meeting discussing tributary fisheries. Buehrens noted that the survey is not about majority rule but rather collecting information on public values.
“We’re using it instead to collect information about sort of what the values of the public are, both the angling public and then on and going public around this sort of conservation opportunity tradeoff,” Buehrens stated. The results will guide fishery managers in selecting the final harvest rule.
Buehrens also highlighted the need to update the Fishery Management and Evaluation Plan, which hasn’t been updated since 2003.
“We’ve continued to collect data on these populations and we have a much better sense of what their status is, what the abundance levels are, how they’ve been going up and down, and why.”
The focus on salmon and steelhead, both staples in Washington’s waters, reflects their cultural and social significance.
“Steelhead is the Washington state game fish and they’re a pretty iconic species. Some of the most passionate anglers are steelhead anglers and then salmon, I mean, they’re kind of like an iconic keystone of the Pacific Northwest,” Buehrens added.
The survey is open to the public until April 30. The survey can be accessed via WDFW’s website.
