December Resource Report

Spring Chinook Commercial Fishery

In preparation for next spring's commercial spring chinook fishery in the lower Columbia River, the Northwest Power Planning Council recently approved the expenditure of $633,000 to monitor and evaluate the fishery for another year. However, given all of the problems associated with the spring 2002 fishery, the Council stipulated that the states of Oregon and Washington must provide "real-time data related to catch, bycatch and survival study data during the 2003 fishery" to all interested parties, including Oregon Trout. You may recall last year's fishery in which more steelhead were encountered than the target species, spring chinook. Delayed mortality to the steelhead that were caught and released could be as high as 50%. The delayed mortality to unmarked spring chinook that were caught and released has not yet been determined. Oregon Trout believes it would be wise to consider figuring out a way to compensate the gillnetters for not fishing in the mainstem of the Columbia River, and to confine all future harvest activity to the "select areas" established for the specific purpose of providing fish for commercial harvest.

Kulongoski Meets with Hatfield Working Group

Earlier this month, Governor-elect Ted Kulongoski met with the Upper Klamath Basin Working Group (Hatfield Group), to discuss the ongoing problems for fish and farmers in the upper Klamath basin. Kulongoski told the group that he would make the Klamath one of the priorities for his administration. As part of that focus, he wanted to get a better understanding of the role that the Hatfield Group will play in future water management decisions as the group develops its restoration plan for the upper basin. Kulongoski also met with members of the Klamath Water Users Association while he was in town. All parties seemed to appreciate Kulongoski's visit and his interest in the Klamath basin.

Oregon Trout Hosts Kitzhaber Event

As a "thank you" gesture to departing Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon Trout hosted a small reception at the Bijou Cafe earlier this month. Members of the environmental and conservation communities attended the event to show their support for all the efforts the Governor and his staff have put into protecting Oregon's environmental legacy over the past eight years. The Governor was presented with a framed 1995 Oregon Trout Wild Trout print to commemorate the occasion. Governor-elect Ted Kulongoski also attended the event and was presented with a pair of oversized fishing waders, indicating how big the shoes are that he has to fill.

ODFW Hatchery Policy Developing

Now that Oregon's Native Fish Conservation Policy has been adopted, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has begun work on its draft Hatchery Management Policy. This will be the first time that ODFW will have a formal policy to guide them in hatchery management. The draft goal of the policy is to "Provide a management tool to benefit fisheries and help conserve native fishes consistent with legal mandates and fish management objectives." ODFW hopes to have the policy adopted by May of next year, following a public involvement process that Oregon Trout will participate in.

Legislative Preview

At the time of this writing, the Speaker-elect of the Oregon House, Representative Karen Minnis, has named the committee chairs for all of the House committees. However, the Senate leaders are still meeting to decide how to govern a body that is split 15/15. Oregon Trout is anxiously awaiting the results of those deliberations. We are also anticipating the naming of the Governor's Natural Resources Advisor soon by Governor-elect Kulongoski. Given the current budget dilemma, fiscal issues will likely consume much of the work of the upcoming session, but there should be a number of important fish-related pieces of legislation introduced as well. We anticipate further refinements and improvements to the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds.