SALEM, Ore.—The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Aug. 3 to discuss appointment of a new agency director, adopt sportfishing and game bird hunting regulations, and adopt rules for a new Mentored Youth Hunter Program.

On Aug. 2, the Commission will meet jointly with the Grande Ronde Tribal Council to discuss mutual hunting and fishing issues. Governor Ted Kulongoski is scheduled to attend the meeting which begins at 11 a.m. at the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde Natural Resources Building, 9615 Grande Ronde Road, Grand Ronde. The public is welcome to attend. For more information and an agenda visit

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/07/august/August_2_agenda.pdf

The Aug. 3 meeting begins at 8 a.m. at ODFW Headquarters, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE and proceeds chronologically through an agenda available at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/07/august/index.asp

The Commission will initially meet in executive session, open to reporters but closed to the public, to discuss the appointment of a new agency director. Former director Virgil Moore left the agency in July to return to the Idaho Department of Fish and Wildlife. Roy Elicker is currently acting director of ODFW. 

The Commission is expected to adopt administrative rules for a new Mentored Youth Hunter Program which was passed by the state legislature earlier this year. The program will allow supervised youth age 9 through 14 to hunt without first passing an approved hunter education program. The program does not eliminate the requirement for hunter education, it defers that requirement.

“The goal of the Mentored Youth Hunter Program is to give youth the opportunity to get involved early, easily and safely in hunting,” said Information and Education Manager Rick Hargrave.

“Through this program, youth can take a more active role in the hunting experience with parents, grandparents and other supervising adults.”

The Commission is also expected to adopt 2008 sportfishing regulations and 2007-2008 game bird hunting regulations. Finally, it will review candidates and appoint two individuals to the Fish Screening Task Force.

The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets monthly. Agenda item exhibits may be requested by calling the ODFW Director’s Office at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044. Agenda items also can be found on ODFW’s website at www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/

The public forum portion of the Commission meetings is held in the morning immediately following the expenditure report. Persons seeking to testify during the public forum on issues not on the formal agenda may do so by making arrangements with the ODFW Director’s Office, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, by calling 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations may call the ODFW Director’s Office at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.