October 23rd, 2009 ·
Communique from Bruce McIntosh, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Division Deputy Administrator, Inland Fisheries
As the management of North Umpqua winter steelhead is of great interest to Oregonians, last week ODFW made the following decisions regarding the future management of these fish:
•In response to interested publics in the Umpqua basin and Commission direction, ODFW has been looking at a range of options to implement consumptive fisheries for winter steelhead in the North Umpqua River over the last year.
•While no formal proposals were completed, ODFW did have internal discussions that considered the full range of options, from status quo, to a limited fishery on wild winter steelhead, to the implementation of a small winter steelhead hatchery program in the North Umpqua River.
•At this time, ODFW has concluded that the best way to address the management of North Umpqua winter steelhead is through the development of a coastal winter steelhead conservation plan, which would include the North Umpqua.
•ODFW will begin development of a coastal winter steelhead conservation plan in the latter part of 2010. Development of the plan will address all aspects of steelhead management for all the populations from the Necanicum at the north end of the Species Management Unit to the Sixes at the southern end.
•The coastal winter steelhead plan will be developed based on the direction provided by ODFW’s Native Fish Conservation Policy and will seek input and involvement from appropriate public, tribal, state, local, and federal management partners.
Breathe easy, stay vigilant. And thanks for everybody’s support on this.
Matt Stansberry
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