By ALLEN THOMAS Odds and ends from the Columbia River fisheries realm.... Big changes are coming to the operation of salmon and steelhead hatcheries on lower Columbia River tributaries.

Operating licenses for four hydroelectric projects along the Lewis River in Washington have been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The licenses allow three Pacific Power hydro projects called Merwin, Yale and Swift 1 to operate for 50 years.

By ERIK ROBINSON The federal license for Merwin Dam and three other Lewis River power projects has been renewed for 50 years. Pacific Power will get into the fish transportation business by the end of 2012.

By Erik Robinson, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash. Jul. 25--Pacific Power will get into the fish transportation business by the end of 2012. For 77 years, a 313-foot-high concrete plug has stopped the migration of salmon and steelhead in the North Fork of the Lewis River.

By Kathie Durbin, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash. Apr.