|
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is soliciting public comment on a plan to protect and conserve two groups of redband trout in the remote areas of southeast Oregon.
The redband trout of the Malheur Lakes and Catlow Valley are uniquely adapted to the desert conditions of the Great Basin – able to persist through the dry years, yet resilient enough to rebound and flourish during the wet years, according to Kevin Goodson, ODFW conservation planning coordinator.
The Malheur Lakes and Catlow Valley Redband Trout Conservation Plan assesses the health of the 13 separate populations within the two larger species management units, and identifies those that may be at a greater risk than others.
The plan also proposes strategies to help counter those factors that currently limit redband populations – factors that include loss of water quantity, water quality and habitat quality.
“Our goal will be to work with landowners and other local and federal partners to implement voluntary actions to help improve the health of redband populations,” Goodson said.
Other potential partners include watershed councils, soil and water conservation districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The plan is expected to be presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission for approval at their Aug. 7, 2015 meeting. Members of the public will have until June 26 to comment on the draft plan, which is posted on the ODFW website. Comments may be sent to Kevin Goodson at Kevin.W.Goodson@state.or.us, or Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive, Salem, OR 97302 – Attn: Kevin Goodson.
### |
