SALEM, Ore —The Lower Columbia Recovery Stakeholder Team will meet Aug. 17 in Astoria to discuss and review the draft plan for recovery of threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead in the Lower Columbia River basin.

The meeting is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St. The public is invited to attend and time will be scheduled for public comments.

The stakeholder team will discuss the current situation of chinook salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon and steelhead in the Lower Columbia River basin and work towards agreement on recovery goals and how to achieve those goals.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Science Center and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released an assessment of the current status of salmon and steelhead populations in the Willamette and Lower Columbia basins for public review.  The Viability Status of Oregon Salmon and Steelhead Populations in the Willamette and Lower Columbia Basins can be found at www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/trt/trt_wlc_psr2007.cfm. 

Stakeholder team members represent watershed councils, agriculture, forestry, conservation, recreation, fishing, commerce, and utility interests and local and federal governments.

Input from the stakeholder team is helping the State of Oregon and NOAA Fisheries in developing a recovery plan for the region of the Lower Columbia River that extends from Hood River to Astoria, upstream to Willamette Falls.

The mission of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is to protect and enhance Oregon's fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations. The agency consists of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, a commission-appointed director and a statewide staff of approximately 950 permanent employees. Headquartered in Salem, ODFW has regional offices in Clackamas, Roseburg, Bend, and La Grande with ten district offices located throughout the state. For additional information, please visit www.dfw.state.or.us.