OLYMPIA - Clam diggers have received the go-ahead to proceed with a razor-clam dig starting Thursday, Jan. 8, with an additional dig tentatively planned for February.

Four evening digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks Jan. 8-11, while Long Beach is scheduled for three digs Jan. 9-11. As with previous openers, digging will be allowed only during the hours between noon and midnight.

OLYMPIA - Starting New Year's Day, anglers fishing for sturgeon should find the big fish easier to measure for compliance with state size limits.

By mutual agreement, fishery managers in Washington and Oregon have agreed to base official size limits for white sturgeon on "fork length" - the distance between the tip of a fish's nose and the fork in its tail - rather than their full length.

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting new fishery management plans for Columbia River spring and summer chinook salmon during a public meeting scheduled here January 9-10.

The recreational harvest season for spotted seatrout reopened in South Florida on January 1. Spotted seatrout harvest has been closed since November 1 in South Florida to help maintain an abundant fishery.

STURGEON HARVEST LIMITED

VANCOUVER, Washington - The 2009 sport fishery for Columbia River white sturgeon will open New Year's Day under rules similar to those in effect this year, but with somewhat tighter catch limits below Bonneville Dam.

ATLANTA - The Redfish Cup, the nation's premier saltwater series has announced three new associate sponsors for the 2009 season, Power-Pole, Wave Industries and Xtreme Glove.

The Tampa-based company Power-Pole is a new sponsor of the 2009 Redfish Cup season, but not a new face around the Redfish Cup scene. Its namesake product, the Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchor, has been used by the Redfish Cup anglers since the Cup's inception in 2003. The Power-Pole was designed as a fishing aid and noninvasive alternative to traditional boat anchors.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries requests assistance in preventing the invasion and spread of aquatic nuisance species in Alabama. Aquatic nuisance species are organisms introduced outside their native ranges that can have harmful effects on Alabama's economy, human health and aquatic ecological health.

ROY LAKE STATE PARK, S.D.—The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department will be hosting an open house to discuss a possible property trade that would open up access to Piyas Lake in Northeastern South Dakota.

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon's Fish Screening Task Force will meet on Friday, Jan. 9, at the Clackamas ODFW office, 17330 SE Evelyn Street, to discuss both local and statewide projects.

The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the agenda includes an update on the state fish screening program, projects completed by the Central Point screen shop and screen rules. The meeting is open to the public.

Salem, Ore. -- This Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its monthly meeting Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 in Salem at ODFW Headquarters, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE. The meeting begins at 8 a.m. and proceeds through the following agenda: