This year’s run of pink salmon could exceed the record return in 2007. The run this year is forecast at 5.47 million fish, 63.7 percent higher than the 3.34 million forecast to return two years ago.

That news was part of the salmon forecasts released this afternoon by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in Olympia. The run forecasts will be used in April by federal, state and tribal fishery managers to dtermine salmon fishing seasons.

Pink salmon return to Washington waters during odd-numbered years. The ability to easily catch pinks from local beaches, such as Brown’s Point, have helped make the fishery more popular with recreational anglers.

The Puyallup and Green rivers both are expected to have strong returns this year, but down from 2007. The forecast run for the Puyallup is 688,406 fish, down 780,000 fish two years ago. The Green should see a return of almost 895,000 fish, down from the 2007 forecast of 1.3 million.

North Sound rivers like the Snohomish and Skagit are expected to see runs that will far exceed the 2007 forecast. The forecast for the Snohomish is almost 1.87 million fish, up from 800,000 two years ago. A run of 1.23 million fish on the Skagit would easily top the 300,000-fish threshold needed to allow a recreational fishery.

State fisheries managers also said the expected return of more than 1 million Columbia River coho salmon would be the largest run since 2001.

Here is a look at other South Sound forecasts:

Summer/fall chinook: 6,060 hatchery and 1,476 wild fish are expected to return to the Puyallup this year; Nisqually, 21,331 hatchery and 4,606 wild; and Chambers Creek, 7,370 hatchery.

Coho: Green, 32,196 hatchery and 5,200 wild; Puyallup, 31,729 hatchery and 13,600 wild; Minter Creek, 10,216 hatchery; and Nisqually, 6,145 hatchery and 1,900 wild.

Chum: For fall runs, South Sound, 25,959 hatchery and 212,560 wild fish; Hood Canal, 264,058 hatchery and 110,871 wild. The South Sound also would see winter returns of 16,181 hatchery and 56,016 wild fish. Summer returns in the South Sound would be 53,097 wild fish.

Lake Washington sockeye: A run of 19,327 fish will be far below the 350,000-threshold at which a recreational fishery can be held.

Department staff also said they will work to expand selective fisheries throughout Puget Sound. This would allow anglers to keep only hatchery fish, marked by a clipped adipose fin.

Among the changes being considered:

-- Converting current non-selective openings or closed fishing periods in October to April to mark-selective retention for Chinook, including Marine Area 11, the waters off Tacoma.

-- In areas 11 and 13 (south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge) the current selective chinook fishery that runs from June1to Sept. 30 would be expanded to May.

-- Convert non-selective fisheries for coho in areas 9-11 and 13 to selective fisheries as necessary to achieve conservation objectives for very weak runs of wild coho returning to the South Sound.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council will adopt the final ocean fishing seasons and harvest levels at its April 4-9 meeting in Millbrae, Calif. The 2009 salmon fisheries package for Washington’s inside waters will be negotiated by state and tribal officials during that meeting.

Click here for the preseason salmon forecasts, proposed fishing options and details on upcoming meetings.

A local climbing party will get some air time in the thin air on Mount Everest this spring.

Ashford-based International Mountain Guides has been selected by the Discovery Channel for its annual series “Everest: Beyond the Limit.”

A Discovery Channel crew will follow the IMG group and a party from France’s Himalayan Experience, IMG co-director Eric Simonson said today.

Simonson, IMG’s Himalayan director who was elected to the board of the American Alpine Club last month, will lead the team from base camp.

Simonson says IMG has helped 179 people from 14 countries reach Everest’s 29,035-foot summit since 1991.

IMG is already laying the groundwork for the expedition. According to the IMG website, mountainguides.com, 6,600 pounds of gear has been shipped to Kathmandu. The gear is currently being taken by Yak to base camp where the Sherpa team is building camp.

The climb is scheduled for March 22-May31.

An air date has not been announced for the show.