The Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to delist wolves from the state Endangered Species Act throughout Oregon during a meeting Nov. 9 in Salem. The meeting began at 8 a.m. and adjourned at 6:44 p.m. About 106 people came to testify and they were limited to three minutes each. Commissioners thanked the public for coming to testify and asked that interests on both sides of the issue continue to work with each other. Chair Finley noted the many people “some in cowboy hats and others in t-shirts supporting wolves” who came out to testify on opposite sides of the issue because they care about wolves. “The Wolf Plan has been working well and you are all responsible for that,” he told the public still in the meeting at the end of the day. “We will remember the merits of the Wolf Plan and the next one will be as good or better. You can all help that happen.” With the Commission’s decision made, the rule will be filed with the Secretary of State. The filing removes wolves from the state ESA but has no other effect on wolf management at this time. The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in Oregon. Its next meeting is Dec. 4 in Portland.
