Fish and Wildlife Commission approves land acquisitions in Willamette Valley, Dec. 10

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the acquisition of two parcels of land in the Willamette Valley that will provide important fish and wildlife habitat as well as outdoor recreation opportunities. The Commission also approved two fish passage waiver requests from the Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board related to upper and lower Pony Creek dams near Coos Bay. The first approval amends an existing waiver for the Upper Pony Creek Dam so that supplemental water releases from the dam will be replaced with habitat restoration on the South Arm of Matson Creek. The second fish passage waiver is for Lower Pony Creek Dam, where the Water Board will restore stream habitat on the North Arm of Matson Creek in lieu of providing fish passage at the dam. This waiver request is for future seismic and spillway upgrades that will likely trigger Oregon’s fish passage policy. In other business, the Commission also: Approved $651,452 for two restoration and 9 enhancement projects recommended by the Fish Restoration and Enhancement Board, and appointed two new members to the Board. Richard Heap of Brookings will represent sport fishing interests on the Board. Heap is a retired fish and wildlife manager from Nevada and has previously served on the ODFW Salmon and Trout Advisory Committee. Cary Johnson of Astoria will represent gill net interests. He is a fourth generation gill net fisherman and an active participant in the fishery. Agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians that will create a Special Gathering Permit for clams to be used for ceremonial and other non-commercial uses. The permit would allow the harvest of seven different species of clams in areas of Lincoln County that are open to recreational harvest. The Fish and Wildlife Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in Oregon. It usually meets monthly. The next meeting will be Jan. 9, 2015 in Salem.