As many anglers are aware the new salmon stamp program will begin next year. The ten-member board that will advise the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on how to disperse the $7.50 collected from anglers who fish for salmon and steelhead next year is already meeting. The first meeting is on September 16th, and three of the board members are from our area. Local board members are Irv Conner of Cashmere, Bob Whitehall of Entiat and myself from Leavenworth. Our Central Washington region is well-represented on salmon and steelhead issues determined by this board, and there is more good news. Rollie Schmitten, WDFW Commissioner will also attend this board meeting. All of those attending from our area have been working with the WDFW for years, working on getting the Wenatchee River open to steelhead fishing and getting the acclimation pond at Blackbird Island in place. It will be an interesting process to learn how this board will function and what new selective fisheries can be opened due to the funding that will come from this new stamp. I was glad to see Irv Conner named to the board as it was his idea to put this stamp idea forward.