Shaping fishery management in the Lower Columbia River through cutting-edge science and public input
WDFW will hold a public meeting April 1 to discuss fisheries management strategies for Lower Columbia River tributary fisheries
Balancing conservation with fishing opportunities is a complex challenge that exists across all of Washington’s waters. Achieving this balance is particularly critical in the Lower Columbia River (LCR) and its tributaries, where fish populations, or stocks, listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) are present.
To better address this challenge, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery managers and scientists are using a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) process for the first time. The MSE process uses advanced mathematical models to evaluate various fisheries management strategies and their impacts on fish populations, providing WDFW decision-makers with more accurate, science-based, and forward-thinking information than before.
Understanding the Management Strategy Evaluation process
WDFW is currently using the MSE process to assess the short- and long-term effects of different harvest management strategies on LCR tributary fish populations. The process includes five key steps:
1. Data collection: Fishery managers and scientists gather critical information on specific fish populations, including population size, reproduction rates, age structure, harvest statistics, and the number of hatchery fish in a river.
2. Population modeling: Fishery managers and scientists use this information to build an Integrated Population Model (IPM). The IPM is a statistical tool that combines multiple types of data to offer a comprehensive view of fish population characteristics, including growth, survival, and environmental impacts.
3. Strategy development: Using insights from the IPM, fishery managers and scientists develop and test rules that control how many fish can be harvested or impacted. These rules, known as harvest control rules (HCRs), are designed to keep fish populations healthy by establishing limits on fishing activities. They might include:
o Escapement goals: The number of fish that reach their spawning grounds.
o Total impact rates: The percentage of fish that are caught or die due to fishing.
o Abundance-based management: Adjusting fishing limits based on how many fish are in the population.
Mathematical models simulate these rules to predict outcomes, helping fishery managers evaluate the effectiveness of each HCR or strategy.
4. Public input: After developing strategies, fishery managers share the options and their potential outcomes with the public. Then, WDFW collects public input and considers stakeholders’ views and concerns when deciding on management strategies.
5. Decision-making: Fishery managers will then compare each option’s strengths and weaknesses and choose a harvest management strategy that balances conservation with fishing opportunities.
By using this approach, fishery managers can customize the MSE process to match the unique traits of salmon and steelhead populations in LCR tributaries.
Applying the MSE in the Lower Columbia River
WDFW will use the MSE process to consider updates to the LCR Tributary Fisheries Management and Evaluation Plan (FMEP), published in 2003. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requires this plan to permit fishery impacts, or set fishing seasons, for ESA listed salmon and steelhead in LCR tributaries.
The FMEP establishes harvest control rules, assesses conservation risks, and details how fisheries and fish populations are regulated, monitored, and enforced. It also includes performance measures to track progress toward management objectives.
Fishery managers are currently using the MSE process to update the LCR Tributary FMEP for submission to NOAA, with plans to apply this approach to other areas of the state, including Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and the upper Columbia River, in the future.
How to get involved
The MSE process provides the scientific basis for evaluating different harvest management strategies, but choosing a strategy requires input from the public and stakeholders. Their perspectives assist fishery managers in finding a balance between competing priorities and performance goals.
WDFW is offering multiple opportunities for public engagement. WDFW will hold a virtual public meeting on April 1, from 6–8 p.m., to present the MSE results and discuss potential harvest management strategies for LCR tributary fisheries. The meeting will be recorded and later available on WDFW’s YouTube channel.
To participate in the virtual public meeting, refer to the Lower Columbia River Tributary Fisheries public meeting event webpage. A link to the virtual meeting and meeting materials will be posted before the meeting.
After the April 1 meeting, WDFW will release a survey that seeks to understand how individuals feel about balancing increased fishing opportunities with conservation goals, as well as how these preferences vary across different communities.
All members of the public are invited to share their perspectives and participate in WDFW public feedback opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, language proficiency, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, or basis of disability.
For more information about Lower Columbia River fisheries, refer to the Columbia River recreational fishing webpage on the WDFW website.
