Happy New Year everyone! If I have a fishing season in 2016 even half as good as I had in 2015 I will be a happy guy.

I wanted to let everyone know that a report has been published by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife that summarizes the comments collected at the public meetings held earlier last year.

There were special “listening” meetings held in Selah, Lacey, Mill Creek, Spokane, Vancouver and Wenatchee. These meetings gave those who attended the opportunity to tell the department their concerns on any issue that they wanted to address or make the department aware of.

I attended the meetings in Selah and Wenatchee and saw a great turnout and liked the format of the meetings. Many of the comments included suggestions to expand recreational access, increase law enforcement, simplify fishing rules and many more.

I am pleased to see that the department has taken these comments and put them in a report that can now be accessed through the department web site. If you visit wdfw.wa.gov right now you will find the report right on the Home Page. You can download it and read it or print it out.