Arizona Game and Fish Commission Meets January 11
Arizona Game and Fish Department 01.10.13
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will hold its scheduled meeting tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 11), at the Game and Fish Department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix (1.5 miles west of I-17). The public is invited to attend the Friday meeting in Phoenix, as well as the Saturday afternoon (Jan. 12) “Meet the Commission” event in Carefree (more information below).
The Friday, Jan. 11 meeting begins at 8 a.m. Items on the agenda include:
- Briefing on state and federal legislation.
- Overview of the department’s process for establishing research priorities to address programmatic management information needs.
- Review of a draft commission policy establishing the commission’s position regarding access to and across public lands held by the Forest Service and BLM.
- Presentation on the pilot Big Boquillas Ranch Access Project and Agreement, and an update on the landowner compact that will be incorporated into the program.
- Briefing on the purposes and uses of Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act to facilitate establishment, recovery and management of repatriated populations of listed species.
- Notice of Final Rulemaking and Economic Impact Statement amending rules within Article 1 and Article 3, addressing the taking and handling of wildlife.
- Notice of Exempt Rulemaking amending rules within Article 8, addressing wildlife areas and commission property.
- Notice of Final Rulemaking and Economic Impact Statement amending Article 7 rules addressing Heritage Grants and Article 9 rules addressing Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund Grants.
- Hearings on license revocations for violations of Game and Fish codes and civil assessments for the illegal taking and/or possession of wildlife (time certain at 2 p.m.).
- Election of the commission chair and vice-chair for 2013 and election of positions and appointments to standing committees.
The public can view the meeting either by: (1) attending in person in Phoenix, (2) via live streaming video at Game and Fish regional offices (except for the Yuma regional office, which is temporarily unavailable due to construction), or (3) online at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam. Members of the public may submit Speaker Cards (Blue Cards) if they wish to speak to the commission at the Phoenix meeting or from the regional Game and Fish offices. Public comment is not available for those viewing the webcast online.
For a copy of the meeting agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and click on the “commission agenda” link.
On Saturday, Jan. 12, the public is encouraged to attend the “Meet the Commission” event beginning at 4 p.m., at the Carefree Resort and Conference Center (Cholla 1 Room), 37220 Mule Train Road in Carefree, Ariz.. This is the public’s chance to meet the members of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and will last approximately one hour. The event opens with the director’s welcome and commissioner introductions, followed by open discussion and questions/answers with members of the commission. The event will conclude with the ceremonial presentation of the gavel to the commission chair. The “Meet the Commission” event will not be webcast.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is the policy-setting board overseeing the Arizona Game and Fish Department. It is composed of five members (serving staggered five-year terms) appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. No more than one commissioner may be from any one county. No more than three may be from the same political party. Since its inception in 1929, this organizational structure has served as a buffer for the best interests of science-driven wildlife conservation during eight decades of back-and-forth political change.
For more information on the commission, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission.
