CHARLESTON, Ore.- This week the Pacific Fisheries Management Council is meeting in Sacramento to draft 3 options for the 2010 salmon season.

Vice chair of the Oregon Salmon Commission, Jeff Reeves has been in contact with commissioners down in Sacramento and says word is there will be a Chinook salmon season.

Down in Charleston, Reeves says there are mixed emotions among fishermen because they have been caught off guard. "They only received 42% last year of what should have been federal disaster assistance, so having to live off that money and try to maintain their boats, well they're less than 42% ready," says Reeves.

He adds that it's not only the fishermen that have been caught off guard either but local shops that sell salmon fishing gear as well. "Orders for that salmon gear have to be placed in December of January, those dates have already gone by so we're going to be up against a diminished supply of salmon gear," says Reeves.

Fisherman will also have to scramble to get safety equipment in line before heading out to sea.

Hearings on the options will be held on March 29 in Coos Bay at the Red Lion Hotel and then March 30 in Westport, Washington.

Then the Council will meet in Portland April 10-15 to choose a final salmon season option.

Reeves says fishermen could be out on the water fishing for Chinook as early as May1.