SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet March 20 and 21 at the North Bend Community Center, 2222 Broadway. The public is invited to join Commission members on a tour of the south coast region during the day Thursday, at a reception 5:30 p.m. Thursday night, or at Friday’s meeting.

Thursday’s field tour begins at 8 a.m. and includes a visit to Garrison Lake to discuss flood control and fisheries management and Langlois to discuss Aleutian goose management. Members of the public wishing to join the tour should meet at the Best Western Holiday Motel, 411 N. Bayshore Drive in Coos Bay at 8 a.m. and use their own transportation during the tour. The 5:30 p.m. evening reception at North Bend Community Center is an opportunity for members of the public to meet Commission members and ODFW staff to discuss current fish and wildlife issues. 

Friday’s meeting begins at 8 a.m. and proceeds chronologically through the meeting agenda at the link below. Commissioners will be briefed about the range of options for sport and commercial salmon seasons in the Pacific Ocean and Columbia River areas and about Diamond Lake.

https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/08/03_march/index.asp

In light of low salmon returns to the Sacramento River, fishery managers recently announced the closure of the March 15-April 30 sport chinook ocean salmon season and commercial ocean troll salmon fishery south of Cape Falcon. Commissioners are being briefed about options for other seasons ahead of the Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting April 6-12, when possible ocean seasons for coho salmon or fall chinook will be decided.

Diamond Lake was one of the state’s premier trout fisheries until the introduction of invasive tui chub in 1992. A successful rotenone treatment in 2006 restored the lake’s water quality, which ODFW and the U.S. Forest Service have been monitoring since. Commissioners will be briefed about those monitoring results and other Diamond Lake business.

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.

Public testimony will be held Friday morning immediately following the expenditure report. Persons seeking to testify 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.

###