Commission meets Dec. 16-17 to adopt Rogue-South Coast Plan for native fish, Dec. 16

ODFW release – SALEM, Ore.—The Commission will meet via Zoom on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 16-17. Thursday’s meeting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. is exclusively for public testimony about the Rogue–South Coast Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan (RSP), though Commissioners will not vote on the Plan until Friday. Friday’s meeting begins at 8 a.m. See the agenda for both meetings and view a livestream of the meeting at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/ To testify on one of the agenda items, register by Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 9 a.m. to testify on the Rogue South Coast Plan and by Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 8 a.m. for everything else. Register for Thursday testimony here https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_M5FNk_SeTACsJjwnMwib9Q
Register for Friday here https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_WXuPsGYCSKeBGf-yu4QW4A Additional instructions on how to testify during the Zoom meeting are available on the last page of the meeting agenda. Comments about agenda items can also be emailed to odfw.commission@odfw.oregon.gov The RSP will guide management of winter steelhead, summesteelhead, coho salmon, and cutthroat trout in coastal watersheds of southwest Oregon, from the Elk River south to the Winchuck River, including the Rogue River. Most of the actions in the draft Plan have broad support, though there is not agreement around a few of them, including wild steelhead harvest andsome hatchery management actions. On Friday, ODFW staff will present management alternatives for these topics, and the Commission will decide which alternatives to include in the final approved plan (see the Draft RSP and proposed alternatives at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/21/12_Dec_17/index.asp). Friday’s meeting begins at 8 a.m. and the morning agenda includes a briefing on the implementation plan to reintroduce anadromous fish into the Klamath Basin. After the Director’s report, commissioners are expected to discuss and vote on the Rogue-South Coast Plan. No further verbal public testimony about the RSP will be accepted on Friday. The Commission is also expected to adopt regulations for the 2022 recreational and commercial groundfish fisheries and review the 2020 commercial nearshore logbook report. For recreational marine fishing, ODFW staff are recommending a 5-fish marine bag limit in 2022 which should offer stability and reduce the risk of needing to lower the bag limit during the season. Staff are also proposing to prohibit the retention of quillback rockfish, removing it from the one-fish aggregate sub-bag limit to reduce impacts on this species. This change should have minimal impact as most anglers do not target them. Finally, staff recommend reducing the duration of the 40-fathom depth restriction to two months (July-August) instead of three (June-August). The seasonal depth restriction has been used for many years to protect yelloweye rockfish and this species’ status is improving. The Commission will also be asked to: Allow ODFW to provide free daily angling/shellfish licenses to participants of certain organizations who serve Veterans and active military service members, per Senate Bill (SB) 320 passed by the 2021 Oregon State Legislature. Allow big game tags to be purchased after the sale deadline online or at license agents via the electronic licensing system. Hunters who do this will still need to attest that they did not hunt before their tag purchase and pay the existing late tag fee of $25.50. Add elk to the urban deer population control program, per SB 761 passed by the 2021 Oregon State Legislature. This will allow cities, when authorized by ODFW, to control elk numbers in urban areas when elk are causing public nuisance, safety concerns and damage to property. Cities who use the program must first pass an ordinance against feeding and placing attractants for elk. Meat from any elk is to be donated to a food bank or charitable organization. Include bighorn sheep tags with other big game tags that can be provided (outside the controlled hunt draw process) to terminally ill children. Commissioners will also hold a public forum for people to comment on topics not on the agenda on Friday morning after the Director’s report. To participate in the public forum, call the ODFW Director’s office at (503) 947-6044 or email ODFW.Commission@odfw.oregon.gov by Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 8 a.m. (48 hours prior to the meeting).