[ODFW-News] Fish and Wildlife Commission meets in Newport March 20-21

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife =09
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356=09
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 872-5700
=09
For Immediate Release	Tuesday, February 25, 2003

Fish and Wildlife Commission meets in Newport March 20-21
Public testimony on wolves to be heard

PORTLAND - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet for two days =
in Newport, March 20-21, to hear staff reports and public testimony on =
wolf management, a draft hatchery policy and options for the 2003 ocean =
salmon seasons.=20

The regular March meeting of the Commission was extended to two days from =
one due to the volume of agenda items and expected public testimony. The =
Commission is the rule-making body for the Oregon Department of Fish and =
Wildlife. The seven-member panel meets monthly.=20

The Thursday agenda will include a staff report on items related to wolf =
management. While wolves are not confirmed to live in Oregon at this time, =
biologists working with wolves in Idaho expect wolves to eventually =
establish themselves in Oregon. People seeking to speak on this agenda =
item will be asked to limit their testimony to three minutes due to the =
expected amount of public testimony.

"We really hope that the many Oregonians with a passion on this issue take =
time to prepare a three-minute summary of their recommendations and, if =
they haven't already, provide us with written testimony that goes into =
more detail," said John Esler, chairman of the Commission.=20

The two-day meeting is slated to begin at 8 a.m. both days in the ballroom =
of the Embarcadero Hotel, 1000 SE Bay Boulevard, Newport.=20

The Commission also will host an informal reception for members of the =
public on Thursday, 5:30 - 7 p.m., in the Embarcadero Hotel's Fireside =
Room. =20

The following items are on the agenda for Thursday, March 20:
=B7	Access and Habitat Projects: Approval of funding requests.
=B7	Wolf Management Alternatives: Informational briefing on options =
used in other states.=20
=B7	Powerdale Hydroelectric Project: Approval of fish passage =
proposal.
=B7	Developmental Fisheries Board Appointments.

The following items are on the agenda for Friday, March 21:
=B7	Director's Report: Informational briefing on deferred maintenance, =
regional activities and agency logo.
=B7	Fish Passage Exemption Request: Approval of exemption for Nye =
Creek Culvert fish passage requirement.
=B7	Fish Passage Exemption Approval Process: Rule adoption.
=B7	Restoration and Enhancement Projects: Approval of funding =
requests.
=B7	Preliminary options for 2003 ocean salmon seasons: Informational =
briefing.
=B7	Lower Columbia River coho: Approval of state incidental take =
permit.
=B7	Draft Hatchery Policy: Informational briefing on draft policy.
=B7	Developmental Fisheries Permits: Adoption of Order of Contested =
Cases.
=B7	Pink Shrimp Fishery: Rule adoption on bycatch reduction devices.
=B7	Nearshore Groundfish Harvest Caps: Rule adoption for commercial =
fisheries.
=B7	Other Business: Briefing on construction of new ODFW headquarters =
building in Salem. Briefing will occur during Commission lunch around =
noon.

Public testimony is taken on each scheduled agenda item. Persons seeking =
to testify must sign up in the back of the meeting room the day of the =
meeting. Anyone wishing to provide written material to support their =
testimony is asked to bring 20 copies.=20

Persons wishing to speak on items not on the formal agenda must call Mike =
Lueck in the ODFW Director's Office at (503) 872-5272 by Tuesday, March =
18. Unscheduled testimony will be heard about 1 p.m. on Friday, March =
21.=20

More information on agenda items can be found at http://www.dfw.state.or.us=
/ODFWhtml/commission_meeting.html as it becomes available.

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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528