Budget On The Agenda For ODFW Commission; No Fee Increase Proposed Till At Least 2024

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

The Commission will meet virtually June 11-12 and the meeting will be livestreamed over ODFW’s YouTube Channel and available at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/

See the meeting agenda at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/20/06_Jun/index.asp  

People who want to testify on any of the agenda items being presented at the meeting on Friday will need to register online at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. Register at https://odfw.wufoo.com/forms/commission-meeting-witness-registration/ or send an email to odfw.commission@state.or.us or call the Director’s office at (503) 947-6044 or (503) 557-5046. There will be no public forum for testimony on topics not on the agenda during this meeting.

On Thursday, June 11 beginning at 1 p.m., Commissioners will participate in a workshop considering climate change in fish and wildlife management and the draft Climate and Ocean Change Policy. The Policy will be the framework under which ODFW will evaluate the impacts of climate change on the resources under its stewardship, adopt management practices to safeguard those resources and minimize the impacts to communities that depend on these resources. The draft Policy also includes an ambitious goal for ODFW’s operations to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century. No public testimony will be taken during the workshop, but the Policy will come before the Commission later in the year and public testimony will be taken.

Agency 2021-23 budget: ODFW will review its proposed budget, which will then be submitted to the Governor and must finally be approved by the 2021 Legislature. ODFW is not proposing any fee increases on sport or commercial licenses in this budget cycle. While 2021 would typically be a year to raise fees to take effect in 2022 (because the department adjusts fees every six years), ODFW is pleased to be in a position to delay this and not request any fee increase of hunters, anglers or commercial fishermen until 2024 at the earliest. 

A&H Project Funding and Hunter Representatives Appointment: The Access and Habitat Program provides grants for projects that allow public hunting access on private land or improve wildlife habitat. The Commission will consider continued funding for a number of Travel Management Areas and other hunting access projects recommended by the A&H Board and appoint two statewide Hunter Representatives to the seven-member Board.

Auction and Raffle Allocations: The Commission will be asked to allocate the 2021 special big game auction and raffle tags. The auction tags are auctioned by hunting/conservation groups and the groups are able to keep 10 percent of proceeds earned, which they put towards projects that benefit wildlife and hunter recruitment. Raffle tags are drawn by ODFW with 100 percent of the proceeds funding the department’s research and management of big game or Access and Habitat projects that open private land to hunting or improve wildlife habitat.

2020-2021 Furbearer Regulations: The Commission will be asked to adopt regulations for the hunting and trapping of furbearers (bobcat, gray fox, red fox, marten, muskrat/mink, raccoon, river otter, beaver, plus badger, coyote, nutria, opossum, etc).