Game Bird Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations Highlight Fish and Wildlife Commission Meeting
OutdoorHub 07.30.12
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will set the 2012-13 game bird hunting regulations and preview the 2013-2016 sport fishing regulations when it meets in Salem on Aug. 3.
The meeting begins at 8 a.m. at the ODFW Headquarters Building, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE. The full agenda and meeting materials can be found on the ODFW website http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/12/08_aug/index.asp
The proposed 2013-2016 fishing regulations have been undergoing a public review process since January, and the Commission will hear additional comments from the public and ODFW staff prior to adopting the final rules at its Sept. 7 meeting in Hermiston.
Among the statewide regulation changes being considered:
- Re-define artificial lure to include soft molded plastic and rubber worms, eggs and similar bait imitations.
- Establish new statewide anti-snagging rules that can be applied to specific water bodies.
- Keep Diamond Lake open to fishing year round.
- Restrict the use of bait on the McKenzie River from Hayden Bridge upstream to Hendricks Bridge. Bait would be allowed only when fishing for salmon or steelhead from May 1- to June 15.
- Ban the use of bait on the Crooked River
- Allow the partial cleaning of tuna at sea.
Public testimony on the proposed sport fishing regulation changes will be taken at the meeting. Public who can’t attend the meeting can send comments to Rhine.T.Messmer@state.or.us.
The Commission will be asked to adopt the administrative rules regulating the take of fish, wildlife and invertebrate species in the newly-designated marine reserves and marine protected areas at Cape Falcon, Cascade Head and Cape Perpetua. The prohibitions would go into effect after two years of baseline data are collected, and are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2014 for Cascade Head and Cape Perpetua, and on Jan. 1, 2016 for Cape Falcon.
The Commission will also consider a change to administrative rules that would allow Oregon wholesale fish dealers to market and sell Columbia River Basin steelhead and walleye purchased from Columbia River Tribal fishers in Oregon. Wholesale buyers in Washington are already permitted to sell these tribal caught species in Oregon.
The Commission will hear a citizen petition to modify the state’s wildlife integrity rules to allow the possession and rearing of tilapia. The rule change would allow people to raise tilapia indoors for personal use without acquiring an ODFW Fish Propagation license.
Game bird hunting regulations for the 2012-13 season are also on the agenda. ODFW staff are recommending that the possession limit for mountain quail in Western Oregon, Hood River and Wasco counties, California quail, and forest grouse be increased. The limit would change from two times the daily limit to three times the daily limit under the proposal, so to nine for forest grouse and 30 for quail (singly or in aggregate for the two species).
Due to wildfires in southeast Oregon that impacted some core sage grouse habitat, staff will propose that hunting permits for this species be reduced in the hunt units where the fires occurred and that portions of the Whitehorse unit be closed to hunting.
Migratory birds are protected by federal law and ODFW works with other state and federal natural resource agencies on hunting regulations. Changes proposed this year would:
- Classify Eurasian collared doves as unprotected wildlife.
- End special bag limits and reduced season for scaup.
- Split NW Oregon General Goose Zone hunting into three time periods to align it with the NW Oregon Goose Permit Zone.
- Increase the South Coast Zone bag limit for dark geese during the third hunt period and allow white geese to be taking during all hunt periods in this zone.
Changes to the Upland Game Bird Art Contest or also proposed. Starting with the 2013 contest, they would move entry deadlines from the last business day in December of the preceding year to the last business day in August of the preceding year.
The Commission will also be asked to review and approve the agency’s 2013-15 budget of approximately $310 million. After the Commission’s decision, it will go to the Governor and the Oregon State Legislature for final approval. No changes in hunting and fishing license fees are proposed under the new budget.
The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in the state. Public testimony before the Commission is 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.
