• 8:15 Leave Fairfield Inn & Suites
• 8:30 Arrive at deer underpasses on highway 97 Meet (meet Jackie Cupples and Simon Wray)
• 9:00 Depart for Summer Lake
• 11:00 Arrive Summer Lake Headquarters  
• 11:15 Depart to Overlook (Orientation by Marty St Louis)
• 11:30 Driving tour (visit infrastructure and habitat improvements)
• 1:00 Lunch at River Ranch Barn
• 2:00 Arrive at Desert Springs Visit (meet Tom MacDonald and Negus’s)
• 2:30 Depart for Bend – Fairfield Inn & Suites
• 4:30 Arrive at Fairfield Inn & Suites

Field Reports – in written form only

Expenditure Report

Staff: Bill Herber, Interim Deputy Director for Administration

Sage Grouse Update

Staff: Chip Dale, Malheur Watershed District Manager

Adopt Temporary Rules

Staff: Curt Melcher, Director

Attachments: (pdf)

• ODFW Field Report
• Director's Report Expenditure Report

• Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon 4-24-15 (ppt)

1. 635-041-0065

Treaty Indian Commercial Winter Gill Net Fisheries in the Bonneville Pool Modified
Adopted March 10, 2015: effective March 12, 2015 through March 31, 2015.

This amended rule modifies the Treaty Indian commercial winter gill net season in the Bonneville Pool of the Columbia River. These modifications close sales of Chinook salmon caught in the Tribal commercial winter gill net fishery in the Bonneville Pool at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, March 12, 2015. Modifications are consistent with action taken March 10, 2015 by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife, in cooperation with the Columbia River Treaty Tribes, in a meeting of the Columbia River Compact.

2. 635-041-0065

Treaty Indian Commercial Winter Gill Net Fisheries in the Bonneville Pool Modified
Adopted March 10, 2015: effective March 12, 2015 through March 31, 2015.

This amended rule modifies the Treaty Indian commercial winter gill net season in the Bonneville Pool of the Columbia River. These modifications close sales of Chinook salmon caught in the Tribal commercial winter gill net fishery in the Bonneville Pool at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, March 12, 2015. Modifications are consistent with action taken March 10, 2015 by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife, in cooperation with the Columbia River Treaty Tribes, in a meeting of the Columbia River Compact.

3. 635-005-0480

Temporary Waivers to Retrieve Dungeness Crab Gear from the Pacific Ocean
Adopted March 16, 2015: effective March 16, 2015 through August 14, 2015.

This amended rule allows retrieval of Dungeness crab pots which have become stranded in the Pacific ocean due to extraordinary circumstances whereby the vessel which originally placed them in the ocean is no longer in possession of the necessary permit required for retrieval.

4. 635-018-0090

2015 Spring Chinook Season on the Hood River
Adopted March 19, 2015: effective April 15, 2015 through June 30, 2015.

This amended rule allows the recreational harvest of adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook salmon in the Hood River from April 15 through June 30, 2015. The Hood River open area extends from the mouth to the mainstem confluence with the East Fork, and the West Fork
from the confluence with the mainstem upstream to the angling deadline 200 feet downstream of Punchbowl Falls. The daily bag limit is 2 adult adipose fin-clipped salmon per day and 5 adipose fin-clipped jack salmon per day. All salmon that do not have a healed clipped adipose
fin must be released unharmed. All other limits and restrictions remain unchanged from those
listed in the 2015 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for the Hood River.

5. 635-042-0145

Commercial Winter Fisheries for Youngs Bay Select Area of the Columbia River Modified
Adopted March 23, 2015: effective March 24, 2015 through July 30, 2015.

This amended rule rescinds three 4-hour commercial fishing periods previously authorized for the winter commercial Chinook salmon and shad in the Youngs Bay Select Area of the Columbia River. The rescinded periods were scheduled to occur on March 25 (4 hours),
March 26 (4 hours) and March 30, 2015 (4-hours).

6. 635-042-0022

Columbia River Commercial Spring Chinook Drift Net Fishery Set for March 31, 2015
Adopted March 30, 2015: effective March 31, 2015 through April 1, 2015.

This amended rule allows a non-Indian commercial spring Chinook fishery in the mainstem Columbia River to commence on March 31, 2015 from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to Beacon Rock (Zones 1 thru 5). The authorized fishing period is from 7:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. Tuesday March 31, 2015 (7 hours). Modifications are consistent with action taken March 30, 2015 by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife in a meeting of the Columbia River Compact.

7. 635-014-0090

2015 Chinook Salmon Seasons on the Siletz River
Adopted March 31, 2015: effective April 1, 2015 through July 31, 2015.

This amended rule clarifies the regulations for recreational harvest of Chinook salmon on the Siletz River beginning April 1, 2015. The daily bag limit is one non fin-clipped spring Chinook salmon per day and 2 per year. All salmon that do not have a healed clipped fin must be
released unharmed. All other limits and restrictions remain unchanged from those listed in the 2015 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, (page 27) for the Siletz River and Bay.

8. 635-042-0022

Columbia River Commercial Spring Chinook Drift Net Fishery Set for April 7, 2015
Adopted April 6, 2015: effective April 7, 2015 through April 8, 2015.

This amended rule allows a non-Indian commercial spring Chinook fishery in the mainstem Columbia River to commence on April 7, 2015 from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to Beacon Rock (Zones 1 thru 5). The authorized fishing period is from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015 (10 hours). Modifications are consistent with action taken April 6, 2015 by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife in a meeting of the Columbia River Compact.

9. 635-023-0125

Columbia River Recreational Season for Salmon, Steelhead and Shad Extended
Adopted April 8, 2015: effective April 10, 2015 through June 15, 2015.

This amended rule extends the season for recreational spring Chinook, steelhead and shad on the Columbia River mainstem downstream of Bonneville Dam with the addition of two fishing periods, Saturday, April 11 and Thursday, April 16, 2015. Descriptions of areas and bag limits
for harvest of adipose fin-clipped Chinook salmon and adipose fin-clipped steelhead remain unchanged from those already adopted by the Departments of Fish and Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington on January 28, 2015.

10. 635-006-0212, 635-006-0215 and 635-006-0225

Commercial Sales of Dressed Salmon and Steelhead by Columbia River Treaty Tribal Fishers Allowed
Adopted April 8, 2015: effective May 1, 2015 through October 27, 2015.

These amended rules allow commercial sales of gilled and gutted Columbia River salmon and steelhead caught by Treaty tribal members to wholesale fish dealers, canners, and buyers. Modifications also require wholesale fish dealers, canners, and buyers to report totals of fish
purchased in round weights on the Fish Receiving Ticket using a conversion factor of 1.17.

11. 635-004-0375

Directed Commercial Sardine Fishery Third Allocation Period for 2014-2015 Season Closes
Adopted April 21, 2015: effective April 25, 2015 through June 30, 2015.

This temporary rule closes the third allocation period of the directed commercial sardine fishery for the 2014-2015 season effective at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 25 through Tuesday, June 30, 2015. Modifications are needed to conform Oregon State regulations to the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s decision on April 15, 2015 to close the Pacific sardine fishing season as quickly as possible, citing concerns about a declining biomass and the potential for the remainder of this year’s quota to be caught rapidly.

PUBLIC FORUM

Note: This part of the agenda is for comments on topics not scheduled elsewhere on the agenda. Please contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of the Director at least 24 hours prior to the meeting to be included in the public forum. If you bring written summaries or other materials to the meeting please provide the Commission Assistant with 20 copies prior to your testimony. The Commission is unable to take action on items brought to their attention in this forum.

Bob Rees, Oregon Fishing Guide
Oregon Forage Fish Management Plan; Sturgeon

Gilly Lyons, the Pew Charitable Trust
Oregon Forage Fish Management Plan

Kelly Short, Oregon Fishing Guide
Sturgeon

Attachments: (pdf)

• Bob Rees, Oregon Fishing Guide, Mark_Kujala 4-22-15
• Gilly Lyons, PEW Charitable Trust 4-24-15
• Kelly Short, Oregon Fishing Guide

Approve: 2015 Commission minutes

Action: Approval

Attachments: (pdf)

• Meeting Minutes

The Commission will be asked to adopt rules establishing regulations for recreational and commercial salmon fishing seasons in state managed waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Staff:  Chris Kern, Fish Division Deputy Administrator
Public Testimony
Action: Rulemaking

Attachments: (pdf)

• Cover
• Attachment 1 Agenda Item Summary
• Attachment 2 Hearing, Need, & FIS
• Attachment 3 Draft OAR's
• Attachment 4 Ocean Salmon Mgmt Measures & Impacts
• Attachment 5 Public Correspondence
• Exhibit B PPT April 24, 2015
• Exhibit B_Revised Attachment 3
• Exhibit B_Supplemental Attachment 1
• Exhibit B_Supplemental Attachment 4
• Exhibit B_Supplemental Public Correspondence
  
  

The Commission will be asked to adopt the 2015 regulations for recreational commercial Pacific halibut fisheries.

Staff: Lynn Mattes, Fishery Project Leader
Public Testimony
Action: Rulemaking

Attachments: (pdf)

• Cover
• Attachment 1 Agenda Item Summary
• Attachment 2 Hearing, Need, & FIS
• Attachment 3 Draft OAR's
• Attachment 4 News Release
• Attachment 5 Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 51
• Attachment 6 Decisions of PFMC
• Attachment 7 Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 62
• Attachment 8 Staff Recommended 2015 Pacific Halibut Regs
• Attachment 9 Public Correspondence
• Exhibit C PPT April 24, 2015
  
  

The Commission will be asked to appoint three members to the Fish Screening Task Force to fill a vacant agriculture and two angling/fish conservation seats.  

Staff:  Pete Baki, Statewide Fish Screening Coordinator       
Public Testimony
Action:  Approval

Attachments: (pdf)

• Cover
• Attachment 1 Agenda Item Summary
• Attachment 2 Press Releases
• Attachment 3 Current FSTF Member List
• Attachment 4 ORS 496.085 & OAR 635-001-0020
• Attachment 5 FSTF Interest Forms
• Attachment 6 Public Correspondence
• Exhibit D PPT April 24, 2015
  
  

The Commission will be given an update on the Oregon Conservation and Oregon Nearshore Strategies.       

Staff:  Audrey Hatch, Greg Krutzikowsky, Natural Resources Project Leader         
Public Testimony
Action:  Informational

Attachments: (pdf)

• Cover
• Attachment 1 Agenda Item Summary
• Attachment 2 Public Correspondence
• Powerpoint-OCS_ONS_Commission_April_2015
  
  

Commission will be given an informational presentation providing an update on the delisting process.    

Staff:  Russ Morgan, Wolf Program Coordinator         
Public Testimony
Action:  Informational

Attachments: (pdf)

• Cover
• Attachment 1 Agenda Item Summary-Wolf
• Attachment 2 Wolf Status Review
• Attachment 3 Public Correspondence
• Supplemental Public Correspondence
• PPT-Wolf Informational Presentation - 4-24-15 (ppt)
• 4-24-15 Written Testimony Section 1
• 4-24-15 Written Testimony Section 2
  
  

Executive Session

The Commission will hold an executive session to consult with legal counsel with respect to litigation filed or likely to be filed against the Commission, as authorized by ORS 192.660(2) (e).

May 15, 2015 – No meeting; only if needed

June 4 - 5, 2015 – Salem Headquarters

• 2015 Big Game Regulations - Rulemaking
• Access and Habitat Project Approvals – Commission Approval
• 2016 Access and Habitat Auction and Raffle Tag Allocations – Rulemaking
• Wolf Delisting  - Informational Briefing
• 2015-16 Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries - Rulemaking
• Fish Passage Banking Pilot Project – Informational
• Regulations for 2015 Coastal Coho Fisheries - Rulemaking

July 10, 2015 – No meeting, only if needed

August 7, 2015 – Salem Headquarters

• Restoration and Enhancement Project Approvals – Commission Approval
• 2015-2016 Oregon Game Bird Regulations - Rulemaking
• Oregon Conservation and Nearshore Strategies Revision Update – Informational Briefing
• Coquille Valley Wildlife Area – Rulemaking
• Lower Deschutes River Ranch Land Acquisition – Commission Approval
• Wildlife Control Operators – Rulemaking
• Wolf Delisting – Rulemaking

September 4, 2015 – Seaside (Congressional District #1)

• Access and Habitat Project Approvals – Commission Approval
• Oregon Conservation and Oregon Nearshore Strategies – Commission Approval

October 9, 2015 – Florence (Congressional District #2)

• 2016 Big Game Regulations Rulemaking

November 2015 – No meeting scheduled

December 4, 2015 – Portland (Congressional District #3)

• Restoration and Enhancement Project Approvals – Commission Approval
• Access and Habitat Project Approvals – Commission Approval
• Wildlife Holding; and Rehabilitation and Protected Wildlife - Rulemaking
  

PLEASE NOTE

AGENDA

The Commission meeting will begin at 8:00 AM, and proceed chronologically through the agenda. If you wish to receive written materials prepared for any of the agenda items, please contact the Director’s Office in Salem at 503.947.6044 to request a packet for those items which interest you or see the agency’s website at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/Comm/schedule.htm .

A recess will be taken at 12:00 Noon, when the Commission will have lunch and may discuss matters of general interest. The public is welcome to attend, and an announcement will be made of the location of the lunch. Lunch will not be provided for the public.

PUBLIC FORUM

This part of the agenda is for comments on topics not scheduled on the agenda. Please contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director’s office at least 24 hrs. prior to the meeting to be included in the public forum. If you bring written summaries or other materials to the meeting, please provide the Commission Assistant with 20 copies prior to your testimony. The Commission is unable to take action on items brought to their attention in this forum. A time period of three (3) minutes will be allowed for each individual. Please notify the Director’s Office at 503.947.6044 if you wish to testify.

PUBLIC TESTIMONY

If you wish to give testimony on any item scheduled on this agenda, please sign up on the sheets provided the day of the meeting. You will be called to testify by the Commission Chair. The Commission places great value on information received from the public, and wants to avoid arbitrary limits on the time or attention allocated to each witness. Therefore, persons desiring to testify or otherwise present information to the Commission are encouraged to:

(1)  Provide written summaries of information to the Commission twenty (20 sets);
(2)  Limit testimony to three (3) minutes, recognizing that substance, not length, determines the value of testimony or written information;
(3)  Endorse rather than repeat testimony of other witnesses; and
(4)  Groups or organizations wishing to testify should designate one spokesperson whenever possible.

Thank you for taking the time to present your views.

Materials delivered to the Director’s Office sufficiently in advance of the meeting can be copied and distributed to the Commission. If you bring written materials to the hearing, please provide twenty (20) copies. If you have questions regarding this Agenda, please contact the Director’s Office, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem, OR 97302, 503.947.6044.

PARKING

Parking is available to anyone who attends the Commission meeting.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES

Reasonable accommodation, such as assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters, and materials in large print or audiotape, will be provided as needed. In order to ensure availability, please contact the Director’s Office at 503.947.6044 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting to make your request. TTY users can reach ODFW by using the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service. Please dial 711 and ask to be connected to 503-947-6044.