Proposed Senior Increases Pared

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Department has backed away from a proposal to require people 70 years of age or older to pay the same fishing fees as other anglers.

The department last fall proposed that all resident anglers, including seniors, pay $20 for a freshwater license and $20 for a saltwater license. Seniors now pay $3 for the licenses.

The latest proposal is for seniors to pay $5 for each of the licenses, an increase of $2.

Shellfish/seaweed licenses would be $7 for residents and $5 for seniors.

Combination licenses would be $36 for residents. There would be no combination licenses for seniors.

The new proposal for nonresidents follows: freshwater, $40; saltwater, $36; shellfish/seaweed, $14, and combination, $72.

The Legislature will be asked to approve the changes in fees.

Barbed hooks saved

Barbed hooks remained legal and wild steelhead must be released under decisions reached over the weekend by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Fish and Wildlife Department biologists had recommended extension of barbless hook regulations to all fish species in Puget Sound, as well as most rivers, streams and beaver ponds as a conservation measure. However, commissioners Will Roehl and Pat McMullen argued that the department had no scientific studies that proved barbless hooks killed fewer fish than the barbed variety.

Both said the department needed to be guided by science in deciding barbless hook and other fishing issues.

As a result, the commission voted against the additional regulation at their meeting in La Conner.

Barbless hook requirements that existed in 1997 will continue.

Commissioners did adopt the department proposal that requires the release of all wild steelhead, unless regulations allow their retention in specifically identified rivers and streams. The commission also took several actions designed to conserve herring, shrimp and groundfish, such as lingcod and rockfish, in commercial fisheries.

The first implementation of the new Wild Salmonid Policy in the public North of Falcon process, which sets salmon harvests in Washington waters, could mean fishing restrictions in some areas to ensure enough adult salmon from weak stocks survive to spawn in the native streams.

Bern Shanks, WDFW’s director, said the department’s salmon run preseason forecasts will be ready in February.

Bird dog obedience

A six-week obedience class for hunting dogs begins Sunday, 9 a.m., at West Wind Kennels near Medical Lake. Cost for the six Sunday sessions is $45 for hunters who are not members of the Spokane Bird Dog Association. Info: Gary Erickson, 244-2259 or John Gilbert, 466-9243.

, DataTimes