[ODFW-News] Salmon-Trout Enhancement Program Announces March Conference in Tillamook

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Kathy Shinn (503) 657-2000 x285
Tracy Holton (503) 842-2741	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 657-2050
	
For Immediate Release	Monday, January 26, 2004

Salmon-Trout Enhancement Program Announces March Conference in
Tillamook

TILLAMOOK - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Salmon-Trout
Enhancement Program's conference, "STEP Into the Future," will be held
March 26-28 at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds for volunteers and the
public interested in projects and issues affecting the state's salmon
and steelhead populations.

The statewide conference begins with a Friday evening social and poster
session. Weekend activities include 20 presentations on Saturday and
field tours on Sunday. A sample of Saturday's presentation topics
include the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, the Tillamook State
Forest, habitat restoration projects, ODFW's Hatchery Research Center,
Endangered Species Act impacts to fisheries, fish propagation issues,
grant writing and fish diseases. Roundtable discussions will follow
presentations so attendees can interact with presenters, resource
managers, scientists and community leaders. Supervised activities for
children will be provided.

The Saturday night buffet dinner will feature guest speaker Bill Monroe
of the Oregonian newspaper. Sunday morning offerings include tours of
STEP facilities, a demonstration of a manure digester that helps keep
streams clean, and opportunities to participate in ODFW's Wild Winter
Steelhead Broodstock Collection Program on the Wilson and Nestucca
rivers with local guides. 

Tillamook Anglers, Nestucca Anglers and The Tillamook Bay Boating Club
are hosts for the conference. Registration costs $10 per individual or
$15 per family before March 1 and $15 and $20 respectively after March
1. For a complete agenda or to register, contact Tillamook Anglers
President Jerry Dove at 503-842-6860 or ODFW STEP biologist Tracy Holton
at 503-842-2741, ext. 244. E-mail inquiries can be sent to Dove at
jdovetillanglers at tillanet.com or Holton at
Tracy.D.Holton at state.or.us. Information is also posted on the ODFW
Web site at www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/InfoCntrFish/InfoCntrFish.html.


"The STEP Program was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1981 to
involve citizens in the restoration of native stocks of salmon,
steelhead and trout. Since then, thousands of adults and youth have
donated money, materials, equipment and thousands of hours of labor,"
said Holton.

###


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