[ODFW-News] Commission to meet Friday in Beaverton

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 947-6020	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 947-6009
	

For Immediate Release	Thursday, March 11, 2004

Fish and Wildlife Commission to meet in Beaverton Friday to adopt ocean salmon fishing rules and lamprey harvest seasons
Executive session to be held

BEAVERTON - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday, April 16, in Beaverton to adopt this year's sport and commercial ocean salmon seasons and Pacific lamprey harvest rules. 

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets monthly. The meeting will occur in the Oak Room of the Best Western Greenwood Inn, located at 10700 S.W. Allen Boulevard in Beaverton. 

In conjunction with the meeting, the Commission will participate in a town hall meeting at the same location on Thursday evening to gather public input on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's budget proposal for the 2005-07 biennium. The town hall meeting begins at 7 p.m. Both Commission members and staff from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will be available to answer questions related to fish and wildlife management.  

The official meeting of the Commission will begin at 8 a.m., Friday, April 16, and proceed through the agenda in order. The following items are scheduled:

·	Director's report on regional ODFW activities, Hatchery Research Center, Native Fish Conservation Policy, report from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2005-2007 budget development and temporary rules approved in March;
·	Revenue and expenditure report;
·	Informational briefing on implementation of the Lower Columbia River Coho Recovery Plan;
·	Rulemaking to eliminate in the fish administrative rules all references to ODFW's previous headquarters address in Portland;
·	Rulemaking to establish the 2004 harvest rules for Pacific lamprey at Willamette Falls;
·	Rulemaking to establish the 2004 sport and commercial ocean salmon harvest rules;
·	Approval of funding requests under the Access and Habitat Program; and
·	Informational briefing on sage grouse conservation planning.

In addition, the Commission will meet in executive session to discuss confidential attorney-client privileged documents related to the Siletz Tribe hunting agreement as authorized by ORS 192.660(1)(f). No decisions will be made during the executive session. 

Public testimony will be taken on each agenda item. For all agenda items, sign-up sheets to testify will be provided at the meeting. Most agenda items are posted to ODFW's Web site at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/Comm/schedule.htm.

Persons seeking to testify for up to five minutes on other issues not on the formal agenda may do so by making arrangements at least 24 hours in advance. "Unscheduled testimony" must be arranged by calling Katie Thiel, ODFW Director's Office, at 503-947-6044. Unscheduled testimony will occur around 1 p.m. and is limited to about six speakers. Currently, three speakers are expected. 


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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002