[ODFW-News] Public Meetings To Be Held

[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	September 18, 2002

Public Invited to Attend Four Public Meetings on Various Fish and Wildlife =
Issues

PORTLAND - Four public meetings will be held in the next week to discuss =
fish and wildlife issues related to commercial fishing, fish passage, =
native fish management, human safety, trapping and other topics. The =
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, Developmental Fisheries Board and =
Trapping Best Management Practices Task Force will convene in open =
sessions and welcome attendance by members of the public.

The following meetings are scheduled:

-Thursday, Sept. 19: The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, in conjunctio=
n with the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, will host an informal =
public reception 7 - 9 p.m. at the Grant County Senior Center, 145 N.E. =
Dayton, John Day. The Commission is the rule-making body for the Oregon =
Department of Fish and Wildlife.=20

-Friday, Sept. 20: The Developmental Fisheries Board will meet by =
telephone conference call in their capacity as a party to the sardine =
permit hearing of Andrew Babich. The Board advises the Commission on newly =
established commercial fisheries. No public testimony will be taken. =
Members of the public may attend the meeting at the Oregon Department of =
Fish and Wildlife Headquarters, 2501 S.W. First Ave., Portland. For more =
information, call (503) 872-5270 Ext. 5461.=20

-Friday, Sept. 20: The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its =
regularly scheduled monthly meeting beginning at 8 a.m. at the Grant =
County Senior Center, 145 N.E. Dayton, John Day. The following items are =
on the agenda: director's briefing, decision on two fish passage waiver =
requests, native fish conservation policy briefing, approval of Access and =
Habitat proposed projects, and rule-making to allow the take of bears and =
cougars that pose a threat to human safety. Public testimony will be heard =
on each agenda item. The Commission will meet in executive session as =
permitted under ORS 192.660(e) to discuss real property transactions with =
legal counsel. More information on the meeting can be found at http://www.d=
fw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/commission_meeting.html .

-Monday, Sept. 23: A task force appointed by the 2001 Legislature to =
review best management practices for trapping will meet at 8:30 a.m. in =
Conference Room 350, Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court Street N.E., Salem. =
The task force is studying trapping practices used in other states, and =
those developed by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife =
Agencies. The review will culminate in recommendations to amend Oregon's =
trapping regulations. Members of the public will have an opportunity to =
testify. ODFW staff members serve as advisors to the task force.=20

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Information and Education=20
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528