[ODFW-News] STEP Advisory Committee to meet in Central Point

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release  Tuesday, March 28, 2006
 
STEP Advisory Committee to meet in Central Point
 
SALEM - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Salmon and Trout
Enhancement Program advisory committee today announced an April 7-8
meeting in Central Point. 
 
STAC makes recommendations to ODFW and the Fish and Wildlife Commission
on issues regarding STEP. The committee's thirteen members are appointed
by the Governor and represent all areas of Oregon.  
 
The April 7 meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the ODFW
Rogue Watershed District Office, 1495 E Gregory Road. Members of the
public are invited to attend. The agenda includes several informational
presentations from ODFW staff, discussions on STEP issues, review of
STAC Mini-Grant proposals, reports on STEP activities throughout the
state, recognition of local volunteers and other committee business.
 
STAC also will review and provide comment to ODFW on five STEP fish
propagation projects. These include educational projects at Warrenton
and Astoria High Schools, where students rear and release small numbers
of chinook and coho salmon, a coho salmon rearing project on Depoe Bay
Creek, a coho project in Florence on Munsel Creek, and a steelhead
rearing project on the Siuslaw River tributary of Letz Creek. The review
of the propagation projects is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The public
is invited to provide comment on these projects to STAC and ODFW at this
meeting.
 
A half-day meeting is scheduled for April 8, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It
includes a field trip to discuss STEP involvement with steelhead
management in the Rogue River Basin. 
 
STEP was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1981 to provide a way for
volunteers to participate in the restoration of native stocks of salmon,
steelhead and trout. Since then, thousands of volunteers have assisted
Oregon's fisheries through their involvement in STEP, donating money,
materials, equipment, and countless hours of time and labor. 
 
Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals
requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or
large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations
may call the Information and Education Division at 800-720-6339 or
503-947-6002 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. 
 
For more information on the Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program or the
agenda for the April meeting visit the Web at www.dfw.state.or.us/STEP
or call program coordinator Gary Galovich at (503) 947-6232. 
 
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