Rosemary Furfey (503) 231-2149
Dan Knoll (503) 947-6023  
Fax: (503) 947-6009

THE DALLES, Ore.—The Mid-Columbia Steelhead Sounding Board, will meet May 21 from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at The Dalles Screen Shop/Hood River Research building, 3561 Klindt Drive.

The agenda includes an update by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff on the current progress of proposed management actions to recover the steelhead.  Additionally, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration representative will give a presentation on the threats criteria and a report on the cost analysis of the management actions. Opportunity for public comment will be provided at the end of the meeting.

The Mid-Columbia Steelhead Sounding Board is a stakeholder group that provides input on recovery planning for mid-Columbia steelhead that are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. 

Members of the sounding board represent fish conservation, fishing, private land, timber, agricultural, tribal, local governments, State and Federal agencies, and other interests.

The mid-Columbia recovery plan is one of four native fish conservation plans being developed in Oregon to address the threatened status of coho, steelhead, chum and chinook. Other plans are being produced for the lower Columbia, upper Willamette and Snake River recovery areas.

A progress report for the mid-Columbia steelhead recovery planning effort is posted on the NOAA website (http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-planning) and a draft recovery plan will be available for public review in June 2007. 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife representatives worked with NOAA Fisheries technical recovery teams to finalize assessment of the current status of listed species, define the gap between current status and de-listing criteria and set recovery goals.  The plan includes assessment of key threats and limiting factors and proposed management actions for habitat, hatcheries, harvest, and hydro.  Rich Carmichael, Program Director of Fish Research at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, is leading the recovery plan effort for mid-Columbia steelhead.