Steelhead anglers have an opportunity to weigh in on the 2024-2025 fishing season with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) managers at the agency’s second, virtual town hall meeting planned for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

At the event, WDFW staff will share fishery plans with the public. In late November, the Department will finalize those plans with tribal co-managers and then announce the 2024-2025 season and regulations.

“We recognize the importance of coastal steelhead for recreational anglers, tribal co-managers, river ecosystems, and local communities and economies,” said WDFW Fish Program Director Kelly Cunningham. “We appreciate the public’s involvement in our coastal steelhead management process, and we look forward to sharing plans that balance conservation with providing fishing opportunity.” 

Members of the public can participate in the Nov. 13 meeting through Zoom – either online or by phone. Meeting materials and information on fishery management, including past town halls, are available on the WDFW’s coastal steelhead management webpage. 

Staff will present finalized plans to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in a special Fish Committee meeting Nov. 21.

WDFW operates under its Statewide Steelhead Management Plan, which requires the department to prioritize the sustainability of wild coastal steelhead runs by focusing on healthy levels of abundance, productivity, diversity, and distribution.