OLYMPIA - A reduction of this year's white sturgeon harvest of 20-50 percent will be considered when the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopts sport fishing rules for 2010-12 Feb. 4-6.
     Surveys indicate sturgeon are declining in numbers, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
     The commission also is scheduled to discuss the Columbia River spring Chinook management policy in light of the 2010 fishing season.
     Although this year's upriver spring Chinook run is expected to be one of the strongest on record, a recently negotiated agreement requires Washington and Oregon to take additional steps to ensure that catch-balancing objectives for tribal and non-tribal fisheries are achieved.
     At the commission's January meeting, department fishery managers advised the commission they plan to hold back at least 30 percent of the states' catch allocation as a "buffer" until there is strong evidence the upriver spring Chinook run will meet expectations.
     State fishery managers from Washington and Oregon will hold a public meeting Thursday, Feb. 11, in Vancouver to discuss development of this year's sport fishing regulations for Columbia River sturgeon.