[ODFW-News] Oregon State Police reduce fish and wildlife enforcement services due to state budget shortfall

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife =09
Contact: 	Ann Snyder (503) 872-5264 x5363=09
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 872-5700
=09
For Immediate Release	Tuesday, September 10, 2002

Oregon State Police reduce fish and wildlife enforcement services due to =
state budget shortfall

PORTLAND - Five Oregon State Police officers assigned to provide fish and =
wildlife enforcement services for the state of Oregon are among the more =
than 100 sworn officers who have received layoff notices due to the =
state's budget shortfall, ODFW and OSP announced today.

Two of the five officers are assigned to Albany and Fossil for general =
fish and wildlife enforcement duties. The other three officers provide =
commercial fishery enforcement services for the Astoria, Newport and =
Portland areas.

"The work these officers do for Oregon is very valuable, and it is =
supported by Oregon's anglers and hunters," said ODFW Director Lindsay =
Ball. "Unfortunately, OSP is forced to find ways to reduce General Fund =
expenditures, and these five positions make up part of those reductions."

A total of 115 current sworn officers make up the OSP Fish and Wildlife =
Division. Of those, 21 positions are supported by General Fund monies. =
Sixty-four are supported by an $11.5 million biennial contribution from =
ODFW. The remaining 30 positions are funded through a combination of =
lottery dollars and other state and federal monies.

These layoffs as well as other budget reductions are designed to make up =
the state's General Fund budget shortfall in the current 2001-2003 =
biennium.=20

Earlier this year ODFW held a series of town hall meetings to discuss =
hunting and angling fees for the 2003-2005 biennium. Those fees, which are =
Other Funds, make up nearly half of the department's budget, but do not =
help support General Fund programs. Most participants in those meetings =
developed a list of four key services they support. Those services were =
hatchery production, field biologist services, fish and wildlife enforcemen=
t, and landowner services.

The OSP Fish and Wildlife Division is the single enforcement entity =
designated by law to protect fish and wildlife resources.

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