The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) invites the public to attend its annual salmon status update and outlook meeting in February. The outlook for 2012 ocean and river fisheries will also be discussed.

This year's meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd. in Santa Rosa.

The meeting will provide the latest information on California salmon escapement in 2011 and the outlook for sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries in the coming season. The public is encouraged to provide input to a panel of California salmon scientists, managers and representatives, many of whom will be directly involved in the upcoming Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings in March and April.

Salmon fishing seasons are developed through a collaborative regulatory process involving the Council, the California Fish and Game Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The input will help California representatives negotiate a broad range of season alternatives at the Council meeting during the March 2-7 meeting in Sacramento.

The 2012 Salmon Information Meeting marks the beginning of the two-month long public management and regulatory process used to establish this year's sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing seasons. A list of additional meetings and other opportunities for public comment is available on the ocean salmon webpage at Ocean Salmon Webpage.

The meeting agenda and handouts will be posted online as soon as they are finalized.