ODFW releases, this morning

[Jennie@ifish]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us (http://www.dfw.state.or.us) Fax: (503) 872-5700

For Immediate Release Tuesday, July 22, 2003


Columbia River spring chinook
management policy topic of meeting


VANCOUVER- Recreational and commercial fishing representatives are invited to attend a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 19 to offer their views as work begins on a two-year policy for Columbia River spring chinook management.


Washington and Oregon fishery managers are hosting the meeting, which is scheduled to run from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way in Vancouver.


When final and adopted by the fish and wildlife commissions for Washington and Oregon, the policy will guide management of Columbia River spring chinook fisheries in 2004 and 2005.


A similar policy for 2002 and 2003 has expired.
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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528
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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 ext. 5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us (http://www.dfw.state.or.us) Fax: (503) 872-5700

For Immediate Release Tuesday, July 22, 2003


Fish Screening Task Force to Meet in Klamath Falls


PORTLAND - Oregon's Fish Screening Task Force will meet Saturday, Aug. 9, 2003, in Klamath Falls at the Best Western Olympic Inn to hear briefings on current statewide fish screening issues and projects.


The Fish Screening Task Force is appointed by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and meets several times yearly. This seven-member task force advises the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on fish screening policies and issues. Agricultural, fisheries, and public interests are represented on the task force.


A fish screen tour will start at 9 a.m. The meeting will occur in the Olympic Inn conference room, 2627 S. Sixth St., starting at 11 a.m. and ending by approximately 4:30 p.m. Saturday's agenda includes presentations about fish screening projects, screens maintenance, program funding, and cost share requests by water users.


Fish screens are an essential part of any system that diverts water from a public water body. They are designed to prevent the loss of young fish as the water is used for irrigation, municipal, hydroelectric or other beneficial purposes.


For more information, please contact: Bernie Kepshire, Fish Screening Program State Coordinator, at (541) 757-4186, Ext. 255.
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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528

[David Johnson]

For all those who complain about the gill nets/tangle nets and fishing closures on the springers but have never done anything about it see the first anouncement above.

[Jennie@ifish]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us (http://www.dfw.state.or.us) Fax: (503) 872-5700



For Immediate Release Tuesday, July 22, 2003


ODFW seeks volunteers for Access and Habitat Board and local advisory councils


PORTLAND - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking applicants for volunteer positions on its Access and Habitat Program state board and regional advisory councils.


The Access and Habitat Program distributes grants to individuals, corporate landowners and conservation organizations for wildlife habitat improvement and hunter access projects throughout the state. The program was created in 1993 and is funded by a $2 surcharge on hunting licenses.


The board and six regional advisory councils each are composed of seven citizens including three hunter representatives, three landowner representatives and one at-large member who also serves as chair.


Advisory council members review grant proposals from their regions and forward recommendations to the state board. The board reviews them and forwards recommendations to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission for final grant approval. State board members also review program policies and make recommendations for auction and raffle hunt tags. Board and advisory council members meet 3-4 times a year to conduct A&H business.


The board currently has vacancies for two landowner positions and one hunter position. In addition, vacancies exist for one landowner representative on the North Willamette advisory council; the chair and one landowner representative on the Deschutes-Klamath advisory council; and the chair, one hunter representative, and one landowner representative on the Southwest advisory council.


Applications for the state board openings must be received by Oct. 1, 2003. Applications for the council positions must be received by Oct. 15, 2003.


To receive a membership application or more information on the A&H Program, please contact program coordinator Susan Barnes at (503) 872-5260, Ext. 5349.
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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528

[Jennie@ifish]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us (http://www.dfw.state.or.us) Fax: (503) 872-5700

For Immediate Release Tuesday, July 22, 2003


Public meetings to be held July 29-31 on 2004 groundfish management options


NEWPORT - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will host three public meetings next week to discuss and gain input on groundfish management options for the 2004 fishing season.


Comments received at the July 29, 30 and 31 meetings will be used by the Pacific Fishery Management Council in September when setting 2004 regulations.


At each meeting, ODFW staff will provide an overview of the 2003 groundfish management results and harvest, review the decision-making process, discuss proposed 2004 harvest level ranges for both commercial and sport fisheries and present possible management strategies for commercial and sport fisheries.


Several species of groundfish have been declared overfished by the federal government. Harvest of other species has increased and little is known about their long-term sustainability.


Potential management options for 2004 include the following:
-Sport:
Option 1: Maintain the status quo, including the 10 rockfish, cabezon, greenling daily bag limit; daily bag limit of two lingcod longer than 24 inches; and prohibition on retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish during the all-depth halibut season.
Option 2: Maintain the status quo (option 1) and close bottom fishing in waters 50 fathoms deep in July. The closure would occur during the coho salmon season and would reduce harvest of canary, yelloweye and widow rockfish and lingcod.
Option 3: Maintain the status quo and close offshore bottom fishing 2-4 months in waters deeper than 30, 40, or 50 fathoms. This option would further reduce catch on canary, yelloweye and widow rockfish and lingcod.
Option 4: Maintain the status quo and close offshore bottom fishing possibly all year in waters deeper than 30, 40, or 50 fathoms. This option further reduces catch on canary, yelloweye, widow rockfish and lingcod.


-Both Commercial and Sport:
Proposals include:
· Separate the harvest guidelines for black rockfish, other nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenling.
· Maintain 2003 harvest level nearshore rockfish guidelines for 2004 and allow harvest of greenling and cabezon at levels equal to or 10-20 percent above the 2003 guidelines.
· Require minimum length of 10-12 inches for sport-caught greenling. Commercially-caught greenling currently must be 12 inches.
· Require minimum length of 16 inches for sport-caught cabezon. Commercially-caught cabezon must be 16 inches.
· Increase minimum length from 24 inches to 26 inches for sport and commercially caught lingcod.
· Prohibit of canary and yelloweye rockfish


-Commercial:
Option 1: Consider federal Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) impacts after all 2004 fishery management options are reviewed and 2004 fishery management options have been addressed.
Option 2: Brief PFMC on options to pursue Pacific whiting individual quotas in September.
Option 3: Allow for the use of selective flatfish trawl gear coast-wide and allow increased bottom trawl trip limits and access to areas that would otherwise be closed.
Option 4: Consider trawl depth-specific rockfish conservation area (RCA) management options. Define shoreward boundary of RCA as 50, 60, 75 or 100 fathoms. Define offshore boundary as 100, 150, 180, 200 or 250 fathoms.
Option 5: Specify winter petrale fishing areas for January-February and November and December.
Option 6: Define non-trawl Rockfish Conservation Area as 30 fathoms to 125 fathoms.
Option 7: Require commercial halibut boats to fish outside the 100-fathom line
Option 8: Allow trawl vessels to use fixed-gear under existing trawl limits.
Option 9: Use video monitoring aboard shoreside whiting vessels.
Option 10: Consider elimination or retention of "B" trawl fleet.
Option 11: Consider zero retention of cabezon for nearshore fixed gear and open access.
Option 12: Apply the Washington arrowtooth EFP to create a fleet-wide trawl opportunity, with observers, bycatch caps and full retention of rockfish.


All three meetings will occur 6:30 - 9 p.m. They will be held:
· Tuesday, July 29, at City Hall in Port Orford;
· Wednesday, July 30, at Englund Marine Supply in Newport; and
· Thursday, July 31, at Duncan Law Seafood Lab, 2001 Marine Drive, Astoria.


For additional information on commercial fishing options contact Mark Saelens, ODFW in Newport, (541) 867-4741. For additional information on sport fishing options contact Don Bodenmiller, ODFW in Newport, (541) 867-4741.


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