Commission meeting live

[Bill Monroe]

Or as live as I can, anyway...I have to listen to some of it as well.
It's about to start, then there will be a delay as they go into executive session to talk about the new director...

Everyone is just milling right now.

[Pete]

ears on

[red willie]

good morning,,

rw

[Bill Monroe]

Marla Rae calls the meeting to order a little late...8:06

This is torture for an outdoor writer...Ocean outside is flat calm, glassy smooth and the tuna are within 35 miles...almost in sight (horizon at this height at Inn at Spanish Head is about 25 miles).

Rae welcomes everyone. Explains the schedule and ground rules. Says there's a reason commissioners' backs are to the window..that they need to concentrate. It was only partly a joke.

Commission was on the water yesterday, watching the tagging of rockfish.

Rae caught one, Dan Edge caught four.

Off to the executive session...

[Bill Monroe]

Out of exec session...

[Bill Monroe]

Rae moves to appoint Elicker acting director.

Unanimous approval.

Rae says it's effective immediately...he walks to the table to the director's chair.

She continues...last year had a national search that brought in Moore.

For employees, it is her hope we will be positioned to act on a more permanent basis in the very near future. This implies no national search forthcoming, which then suggests Elicker's star is right up there.

He's in permanently within a month (my read, not hers).

The commission moves into directors reports/region roundups from supervisors...

[Bill Monroe]

Craig Ely (northeast) is up first.
Bighorns are dying in Hells Canyon. Looks as if it's a domestic sheep bacteria that doesn't hurt them much, but kills bighorns. state wants to help getting domestics out of the canyon.
Mentions the dead wolf from Idaho.

Chip Dale (High desert)
(former mayor Bud Clark just came in with the razor clam folks...later on the agenda)
Dale talks about sage grouse. New leks are found, but there's a decline of birds at the leks from last year's count. Still above average.
Last year's submissions of sage grouse by hunters (more than 300) showed none were infected with West Nile virus. One population of sage last year was affected, but none of the hunted birds.

[POS Clerk]

Thanks Bill for the Elicker info

[Bill Monroe]

Chip talks about the fire season.

(There's a good crowd here...other than staff and department employees).

Chris Wheaton (northwest)
Western painted turtles are using passage under (Marine Drive, I think) port of Portland roads. They were built to keep them from being squished by cars. One female wood duck also was seen using the road.

Fire in a Detroit/Big Cliff powerhouse raised North Santiam water temperatures and everyone's trying to lower them to relieve stress on the fish. The corps is doing some creative releases.

Steve Denney (southwest)
Diamond Lake update...half of the 70,000 catchables this spring have been.
The lake continues to flourish. Lots of zooplankton. 100,000 fry stocked last month are growing at a rate of two inches a month...phenomenal.
Big problem now will be educating people about cleaning off their boats.
Marla mentions three lakes in Washington are about to be poisoned and the Diamond Lake crew has been helping them out up north.
Sounds as if the Diamond Lake project could lead to a benchmark for future projects nationwide.

[Bill Monroe]

Steve says fire season is early this year (this is NOT a global warming thread).

Ron Boyce of the Columbia River program talks about tagging and recovering tagged sturgeon above Bonneville.
Says sturgeon are still pretty healthy, but there's a growing concern for sea lion predation on big spawners. Mostly at Bonneville.


Walt Markee
OSP captain.
Talks about June reports. I think they're linked somewhere.
Says fish and wildlife division has hired an Army vet from the intelligence community.

Holly Michael, conservation biologist
Various projects around the Willamette Valley.

[Bill Monroe]

Originally Posted by POS Clerk

Thanks Bill for the Elicker info

Sure thing...there will be more Sunday...better start rebuilding some bridges.

[Bill Monroe]

Elicker runs through 14 sets of temporary rules adopted since last meeting. This is pretty much routine...commercial and recreational fishing openings and closings that already occurred but have to be ratified by the commission (after the fact).

Bruce Eddy...Cervid rule update.
Just an update on progress toward the new proposed rules. Several committees, ranchers, user groups, etc., are involved in negotiating the new rules for existing cervid ranch operations.
One more meeting Aug. 14, then bring proposed rules to the commission late fall or early winter.

[Bill Monroe]

Elicker gives legislative update...
Says it was a team effort this year with large number of partners in and out of the department, user groups, other agencies, private individuals, etc.

(Charter boats are moving north and south offshore...very popular bottomfishing area...very distracting)

It was a good session.

Landowner preference issues went smoothly, but it's up for reauthorization next session and he wants to get ready for it.

Mentor hunting program passed...

Passed the cougar bill to restore department authority to allow use of agents with dogs for management purposes.

On the radar screen is some pressure in the legislature for separating the commission back into two...fish and wildlife...as it was historically. They're gonna chat with the public with it for a year or two.

[Bill Monroe]

laurie Beyerly...expenditure and budget reports.

(yawn...)
Actually, this monthly report was instituted by Lindsay Ball and is a pretty good idea...the department is well within budget.

She talks about legislative budget notes directing the department to do various things...and their cost into the 07-09 budget. Lots going on there.
Among them is the new point of sale system about to go in place...significant changes and costs.
Budgeting for information security systems, employee salaries, etc., etc.

[Bill Monroe]

Public forum time...

Dennis Sutherland...wants his dad's furtaker trapping license back. It was taken, he said, because somehow their report cards were lost in the mail.

Marla says can't take any action today. Regrets what occurred. She knows their passion for trapping. The department was not in error, though. The reports weren't submitted. We have very little latitude. Get lots of these and we can't do it for you and not everyone. It's a slippery slope and cannot play favorites. Don't hold out hopes...probably look forward to getting permits back next year.

[Bill Monroe]

Minutes are approved.

Ocean Commercial Salmon troll limited entry.

Englund declares conflict of interest and won't participate.

Pretty routine.
There aren't enough fishing opportunities to require limitations by lottery so the law allows the suspension of the system if the commission approves.

Takes the staff (Ron Boyce again) a few minutes to explain it.

(After this, Marla has said, there'll be a break before the razor clam issue comes up.)

[Bill Monroe]

Approved for 2007 only...

They're going potty.

I'm going to watch the ocean.

[Bill Monroe]

Reconvenes at 10:50.
Matt Hunter, north coast shellfish biologist and shellfish project leader.
(Englund declares potential conflict of interest, but seems likely to participate.)

Hunter delivers the staff report.
Basically, clams are very fecund (lots of eggs) but only 5 percent survive and south of Tillamook Head there are no stable populations, commercially dug clams can only be sold for crab bait (can be sold for human consumption north, off Seaside and Gearhart) and there aren't many commercial diggers. Further, commercial digging is already banned on all state park beaches.

Hunter (staff) recommendation is to not change current rules that allow commercial digging.

Several letters, most from Cannon Beach, ask the commission to either ban commercial digging south of Tillamook Head or ban commercial digging altogether statewide.

[Bill Monroe]

(BTW...267 views so far...Chair Marla Rae came over to my laptop to see how it's going. Think ifish doesn't make a difference?)

[JustCallMeDave]

Marla,

The folks who read this stuff are at work earning the money necessary to pay for their use of the resources that the ODFW governs. Have faith in the fact that we DO care, and we most definitely make a difference.

Regards,
David

[freespool]

After ODF&W initiated the clam/shellfish license, it would seem only fair that razor clams would be managed for human consumption, not bait.

[Bait Bucket]

Originally Posted by freespool

After ODF&W initiated the clam/shellfish license, it would seem only fair that razor clams would be managed for human consumption, not bait.

I see no decision made yet....

[Bill Monroe]

Public testimony time.

Marla reminds everyone they each have five minutes.

Stu or Hugh Link (?)
Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission doesn't want new rules banning bait digging (surprise, eh?)...

(A light wind chop is building offshore. very mild)

John Hartsell (?)
Doesn't want a closure.
Says it's just a Cannon Beach issue.
I think he's a crab bait dealer.
Says the most damage is done with clam guns.

John something...a commercial digger.
Opposed to a closure. Says clam dynamics may be changing.

Rex Amos..
Friday the 13th...(first one to point that out).
Not talking about clams commercial, but rather clams for bait.
Thinks there are better baits. Fish heads. Found something onthe internet suggesting clams aren't good. Needs some testing.
General public isn't aware razor clams are used for crab bait.
Endorses commercial clamming for human consumption.
Opposed to using one delicacy to catch another.

Englund asks him howcum the Cannon Beach folks didn't raise their issues at the Seaside meeting?

He says those who came felt intimidated and it seemed as if it were portraying them as against all commercial clamming.

[Bait Bucket]

Originally Posted by red willie

DONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE????

we are the people that pay your salary,, thats the attitude that odfw shows the sport fishermen and gals,,

rw

You've taken Bill's comment way out of context.

[Tonyv8400]

Very much appreciate the play by play!

[Bill Monroe]

Originally Posted by red willie

DONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE????

we are the people that pay your salary,, thats the attitude that odfw shows the sport fishermen and gals,,

rw

Whoa, everyone!

You do make a difference and they ARE paying attention. I don't think I mistated that, but please don't misread it.

Her coming to see how it was going is proof that the department and commission are, indeed, interested in how you feel...

Everyone just take a deep breath. This is an inside look at the system at work. The commissioners are all volunteers.

They're watching you watch them...

[red willie]

BB, if that is the case then i with draw my post,,

rw

[Bill Monroe]

Originally Posted by Bait Bucket

You've taken Bill's comment way out of context.

I'm kind of a volunteer, too. I would normally walk out after this issue...especially on a day and ocean like this.

[JustCallMeDave]

We're an uptight bunch. Not exactly front page news there, Bill.

[red willie]

sorry bill,, im breathing better now,, again i withdraw my post,,

[Bill Monroe]

Diane Amos of Cannon Beach opposes using these great tasting clams to catch great tasting crabs.

William Davis...commercial clammer..."our beaches?" They're public beaches.

Chip Barry? from the razor clam advisory group. Not a razor harvester. He's a bay commercial clammer. (Oh yeah, there are other clams in the world). Born and raised in Pacific City, but has been pushed out by condominiums and jet skis. He's also a commercial ocean crabber.
"I use clams. Clams release their smell a lot longer than carcasses."
He uses cockles. Not as good as razors, but they still last a week at a time.
(BTW, you recreational diggers...I think it's legal to use your clams for crab bait).
He would, though, like to see a limited entry for commercial diggers.

Bud Clark, former Portland mayor. I was in disbelief when Rex Amos told him razor clams were used for crab bait. Dozens of people he asked only one knew that. He asked a lot of people in his business, The Goose Tavern...It appears to me the closure of Clatsop beaches put pressure on Cannon Beach. (Clatsop closes Sunday, everyone).
Suggests Cannon Beach get a closure like Clatsop to see if it will get a set.
(That actually seems logical).

[Bill Monroe]

Al someone...Points out there are no juveniles at Cannon Beach, so there probably isn't going to be a next generation set. We've used an awful lot of staff time on this. He's seen this happen before. This is the first time they've been on Cannon Beach since 79 and that was also a two-year set. Any commercial clams taken there are 100 percent utilized.
(also good points) Says it's not a resource issue.


Marie..Doesn't want any changes.

Bob Pickard (?) Intones Teddy Roosevelt's first declaration of conservation and says the commission is today's gatekeeper. I think he wants the closure. Diane and Rex Amos begin every day on the beach. They develop a feel for the place. Can't be sure what he feels...

[Bill Monroe]

Lost the connection for amoment.

End of testimony and Hunter comes back up for questions.

Edge wonders about how many are beyond the surf. Hunter says we don't know, but it's substantial.

Kerns wonders why those commercial guys on Cannon Beach can't go somewhere else...it's more rhetorical than anything.

[Bill Monroe]

Klarquist wonders how much wastage there is with the recreational diggers on Clatsop beaches. There is 15-20 percent on good years, Hunter says.

There is far less wastage with commercial.

Wastage ranges from 0 (closed season) to an estimated 300,000 a year.

Klarquist says it sounds like an educational problem.

Hunter says in 2004, during and after a massive educational and enforcement effort, waste actually increased. Probably an increase in clam diggers.

[Bill Monroe]

Chair Rae says the bigger problem is wastage. We're not focused on the right issue.

Edge...agrees with no action...moves. Second by Bobby Levy...

Says he doesn't see how it can be overharvested. Personally might not like to see clams used for bait, but it's not a resource issue.

Unanimous...

No action taken.


They're gonna go to lunch. I'll be back within an hour or so...

[Klamanite]

Thanks for the updates. Were there any other particulars regarding the Hunter Mentoring Program?

[Bill Monroe]

Originally Posted by Klamanite

Thanks for the updates. Were there any other particulars regarding the Hunter Mentoring Program?

Not many other than it has a lot of promise and the department's I&E folks are gearing up for a major push.

Met Rex Amos, so he's here. I'm going back to correct some of the entries, then write a column for Sunday.

We're all back at 1:15.

[Bait Bucket]

(Somebody remind me to ask how clams are used for crab bait. )

Good reporting, Bill. Thanks for your efforts.

[Bill Monroe]

Originally Posted by Klamanite

Thanks for the updates. Were there any other particulars regarding the Hunter Mentoring Program?

Rick Hargrave, the I&E guy here, suggests anyone with questions, comments or suggestions call him about this...

Richard.J.Hargrave@state.or.us

503-947-6020


They're back in session.

[Bill Monroe]

Bill Geer from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is presenting a plan to pull hunters and anglers together to help support the state's wildlife programs.

This is mostly an informational gig for the commission.

Most of the audience is gone after the non-decision on razor clams. Wind chop has died on the ocean and it's glassy smooth again...Bill Geer is an old personal friend, but this is still tough.

Being inside, that is.

[Bill Monroe]

Rae thanks Geer for being here...He was asked by the governor to get involved. It's another resource the department (Holly Michael) has feretted out to help the state move forward on its wildlife action plans.
They (wildlife action plans) only seem unimportant. They're key to much of the future of state wildlife management.

[Bill Monroe]

Deanna Erickson, license services manager, has a contested case on a sardine permit in a limited entry fishery. It's mostly a rubber stamp deal in a contested case.

But the debate stretches out into extensive legal wrinkles I neither understand nor you would be interested in...

The permit stands rescinded.

[Bill Monroe]

We move to some waivers for fish passage through culverts on Longview Fibre land on the North Fork Nehalem River. They're pretty small and Longview is mitigating the losses.
A passage task force has written off on them (more citizen involvement, in case you didn't know the state has such task forces.)

Commissioners talk a little about the mitigation and some of the disastrous effects of the God's Valley road on coho habitat.

moved, seconded and unanimously approved.

[Bill Monroe]

Last up, with the longest drive home are high desert biologists and managers working on the new draft plan of the Summer Lake and White River Wildlife plans.

I'm racing to finish Sunday's column about Roy Elicker, but will look, too, for highlights of the plan as I polish off the column. Got most of it written while missing lunch and wishing I were on the ocean...it's gotten even smoother...

[Straydog]

Bill,

This is great, thank you!!!

Thank you too to Marla and all of our commissioners for the volunteer efforts they put forth for the management of our fish and game.

[Bill Monroe]

Marty St. Louis explains the draft. Hopefully they'll adopt the new plan in October.
No major changes and limitation of shotgun shells or hunter reservations aren't in there. They will have some aggressive habitat management and some significant hunter education to try to curb the high-shooting. They're pretty concerned about that.

More wildlife viewing is in order, too.

Meetings will be held in Eugene July 18 and Bend July 19.

Josh Moulton explains White River.
About the same, with increased viewing where possible, but no hunting changes I can see. He does list ATV use as a management issue. A lot of habitat is suffering, he said.

Meetings in Sandy July 24 and Wamic July 26.

Elicker makes a point of complimenting both managers for what they've done for their wildlife areas...it's well deserved, agree commissioners.

[Bill Monroe]

We're about wrapped up.

(the ocean was calm yesterday, too, when the commission went out and helped catch and tag rockfish. No one puked...One was queasy.)

Whoops....another executive session...some legal advice issues, not Elicker.

This pretty much wraps up the meeting.

ciao...

(and again, both the commission and staff are aware there have been close to 600 views on this thread today.)

(Oh yeah...it was kind of fun, but might have been a bit of a drag without the ocean to look at.)

[Hookset]

Thanks Bill for the play by play, I read the entire thread.

I didn't know commercialy caugth razor clams south of Tillamook head were used for commercial harvest of dungeness crabs. I don't agree with this and find the practice completly unacceptable.

The problem with wastage during recreational razor clamming is a problem for sure, but look at how many hours and money is spent in the pursuit of razors during these seasons. It's very clear to me that razor clams should be managed for recreation and not commercial . In a perfect world, there would be enough razors to go around for each user group, except in Oregon, today, this isn't a reality.

Thanks again Bill......to bad you couldn't play on that ocean, the seas were calling for you......

Gregg

[007SPRIG]

I have known Roy for more than 20 years and this man would be a fantastic director. His education,experience and passion is what we need.

[fyshndad]

Bill thank you
I really appreciate you doing this
and keeping us informed

[PapaHog]

A big thank you from me Bill. A look inside has made this more real to me.

[AnotherBlindSquirrel]

Thank you Bill!

[freespool]

Thanks Bill, your play by play only serves to make the process that more transparent.

[Fishbulb]

Originally Posted by Bill Monroe

Klarquist wonders how much wastage there is with the recreational diggers on Clatsop beaches. There is 15-20 percent on good years, Hunter says.

There is far less wastage with commercial.

Wastage ranges from 0 (closed season) to an estimated 300,000 a year.

Klarquist says it sounds like an educational problem.

Hunter says in 2004, during and after a massive educational and enforcement effort, waste actually increased. Probably an increase in clam diggers.

Up to 300,000 clams wasted per year by recreational digging and someone has the gall to point fingers at clams for crab bait. That wastage amount is more than commercial digging produces. Give me a break.

Maybe another one of those real helpful education campaigns.

[Jerry Dove]

Originally Posted by freespool

Thanks Bill, your play by play only serves to make the process that more transparent.

[Jerry Dove]

OOPS I goofed. That last post was not from me. I was saying that I agree on Roy being the man. I supported him last time and still do. He stayed with the department last time after a lot of folks gave him some real guff, I think that says a lot about the man. He cares. I know for a fact that he could have gone else where. JD

[FishSniffer]

Hey Bill,

Thank for this thread - it helped me complete my report as I left just before the Longview Fibre report to kayak fish out of Depoe Bay.

Got a nice (27") cabezon in 10' of water and BBQ'd well. 16 undigested rock crabs and lots of crushed appendages in its stomach. The water was black with krill. I can see why the whales like the area so much.

Greg

[fergy61]

Originally Posted by Fishbulb

Up to 300,000 clams wasted per year by recreational digging and someone has the gall to point fingers at clams for crab bait. That wastage amount is more than commercial digging produces. Give me a break.

Maybe another one of those real helpful education campaigns.

300,000 clams is 300,000 clams. Using them for crab bait is just as wasteful. I think there should be some education for sport digging of clams like the ******* get. That would go a long way toward lessening the waste of the resource. All commercial clamming should be banned. WA does not allow commercial harvest of Razor Clams & look how much better the digging is there. It doesn't even compare.

[Bill Monroe]

Actually, I recall Matt Hunter telling me Washington does allow commercial harvest, but restricts it to separate beaches. Washington also sharply limits recreation digging, which is the larger reason for the better digging.

[freespool]

When ODF&W deemed it necessary to require the general public to obtain a license to dig clams and crab, they then must accommodate the public with as abundant a resource as possible.
And that would mean no competition from commercial diggers on our beaches, and no commercial crabbing in our bays and estuaries.
Requiring the general public to purchase a license to harvest the resource, is a good idea, making them compete with commercials for that resource is just plain wrong.
Hello ODF&W, the public supports your annual budget to the tune of 26%, the commercials are only chipping in 1%, why are you bending over backwards to accommodate these for profit enterprises?