Future Governors or Qualified Committees to pick ODFW Directors

This has emerged as an important issue regarding the future of our state fisheries. Here is a copy of a call for action by Michael Teague and Bob Rees of the Guide's Forecast. ....

Northwest Oregon's most complete and accurate fishing forecast
Edited by Bob Rees & Michael Teague:

For the week of February 9th to February 15th, 2001 -

Soapbox update SB 49 continues to be our focus this week and if all sport
anglers understood its ramifications, they would take action immediately!
As stated last week, if the governor is granted the power to select the
director for ODF&W, the position becomes more of a “political favor” than a
decision based on the most qualified person for the job. How does a
professional wrestler sound for a director? Of course this would be an
extreme case but it could happen if SB 49 passes! Don’t let this happen!
The Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association is helping alert us to the
problem. This information was taken from one of their recent newsletters.
Contact your state legislator and let them know that you don't support
SB49…it's easy just contact log on to http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/findset.htm, or e-mail to
help.leg@state.or.us or call 503-986-1000 and tell them where you're from
and that you'd like to know who your representatives and senators are.
They'll give you those numbers and from there it's a five-minute call to
each person. That five minutes of your time is critical to the work that
many are doing to recover these stocks of fish and restore our fisheries
back to levels that will eliminate shortened seasons and over-regulation.
You can make a difference --- don't wait…call today --- your call will make
a positive difference in the sport you love. Give this message to all your
friends and don't quit calling until we have succeeded. Join the N.W.
Sportfishing Industry Association's email hotline by sending your
membership to NSIA, PO Box 4, Oregon City, OR 97045. For more information,
call 503 631 8859 or e-mail nisaliz@aol.com Phil Donovan is the
sportfishing industry’s lobbyist in Salem and in his newsletter- “Now the
battle moves to the House of Representatives. The bill was recently
assigned to House Species Recovery & Stream Restoration Committee
(SR2). We need your calls and letters to the following committee members.

You can contact the following committee members by writing them at the
State Capitol, Salem, OR 97310, leave them a message at (800) 332-2313 or
contact then individually as follows:

Speaker of the House
Rep. Mark Simmons (R-Elgin) "mailto:simmons.rep@state.or.us" 503-986-1200

House Majority Leader
Rep. Karen Minnis (R-Wood Village) "mailto:minnis.rep@state.or.us" 503-986-1400

House Minority Leader
Rep. Dan Gardner (D-Portland) "mailto:gardner.rep@state.or.us" 503-986-1900

Talking points
The public has little trust in an Agency where the public decision-making
process of a Commission is circumvented by the politics of elected office.

An appointed Fish and Wildlife Director tends to be beholden to a
governor instead of to the public and to the public good.

The agency staff tends to be micro-managed, and inadequately managed, by
an over-burdened Governor’s office.

The politics of re-electing the Governor can take priority over science.

Agency Directors are frequently changed, resulting in low Agency morale,
diminished staff effectiveness, and the tendency to substitute
emergency-mode decision-making for long-term planning.

[ssteelheadsteve]

2/09/2001
SB 49 still requires senate confirmation.With guys like Sen. Ted Ferrioli walking the halls there is no way we are going to get a fish friendly director with the power to do the right thing for the fish.The forcasted drought of 2001 in the Columbia Basin will bring this to boil in the legislature.

I really don't see much difference.

I have interviewed every director since Jack Donaldson.In one way or another they all indicated that they were truly under the direction of the govenor.No Director since Donaldson has disobeyed the govenor's wishes.The other problem is Senate confirmation.Badmitton Anyone ? Trust this...The govenor and the Director of the ODF&W are in constant contact on a variety of issues from land use to water quality,real estate to Hi-way construction.During legislative session the govenor spends most of his time with DEQ & ODF&W Directors and staff.The govenor GETS what he wants from his agencies.
In closing I would take strong exception to the notion that the NSIA represents anglers or anyone who is concerned about the resource.How much has Luhr Jensen spent on "real" fish conservation issues ? Oh Yeah you won a Little Chief Smoker at the Steelheaders.Don't flame me -plant a tree.

[This message has been edited by ssteelheadsteve (edited 02-09-2001).]

What difference does it make? Hmmm. Let's see ... how about if a future Gov, unlike the fisherman Kitzharber, is a right wing tree mauling anti-habitat monger that sides with poluting big biz? Hey, it could happen. Just happened in Wash. DC. Wouldn't it then be a good idea to balance that to a degree with an ODFW Director that has healthy fish runs as a strong objective (especially if he got likely support from the ESA)!? Probably. Do you think such a careless Gov would appoint a good Director? Probably not. - RT

Oh BTW, if not for the expensive lobbyists paid for by the NSIA, us sportfishers and guides likely wouldn't have had a fall chinook season on the Columbia R. last fall. By helping anglers, which they do, they also help their bottom line. - Are you getting enough fiber?

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 02-08-2001).]

[Pete]

I believe this is a critical juncture for Oregon's fisheries. I reflect on the governor's appointments to the Northwest Power Planning Council ... Duncan, Roberts, ... these were political appointments. Certainly they were "friends of fish", but they lacked the deep understanding of the complexities of anadromous biology necessary to make the right choices every time. Many of our native fish stocks are on the edge of survivability and looking over. Yesterday I heard a Bonneville official suggesting that we should we should choose between protecting wild chum and wild chinook when managing flows in the Columbia. This is a politician's choice. I suggest a biologist would not present that question at all.

That said, let me equivocate ... under the present system the Commission identifies directorial candidates, eh? Does anyone think those candidates aren't political choices? Does anyone really think a candidate the governor didn't support would be sworn in?

[Bait O' Eggs]

RT - Do not go, do not pass - straight back to step one for you on the political recovery program.

[fishbait]

Just got a e-mail reply from the House Deomcratic Leader, Dan Gardner here is the main part of his reply:

"Thank you for your letter concerning SB 49. I have not heard any convincing arguments to transfer the power to hire the director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife from the ODFW Commission to the Governor."
We all must keep the pressure on the house to stop this.

[Hoosier Daddy]

See my post on the main board. He responded with the same form letter to me as well.