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| SE Oregon Redband Photo: Roger Smith & ODFW |
ODFW: plan to conserve redband trout in southeast Oregon
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is
soliciting public comment on a plan to protect and conserve two groups
of redband trout in the remote areas of southeast Oregon.
The redband trout of the Malheur Lakes and Catlow Valley
are uniquely adapted to the desert conditions of the Great Basin – able
to persist through the dry years, yet resilient enough to rebound and
flourish during the wet years, according to Kevin Goodson, ODFW
conservation planning coordinator.
The Malheur Lakes and Catlow Valley Redband Trout
Conservation Plan assesses the health of the 13 separate populations
within the two larger species management units, and identifies those
that may be at a greater risk than others.
The plan also proposes strategies to help counter those
factors that currently limit redband populations – factors that include
loss of water quantity, water quality and habitat quality.
“Our goal will be to work with landowners and other
local and federal partners to implement voluntary actions to help
improve the health of redband populations,” Goodson said.
Other potential partners include watershed councils,
soil and water conservation districts and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
The plan is expected to be presented to the Oregon Fish
and Wildlife Commission for approval at their Aug. 7, 2015 meeting.
Members of the public will have until June 26 to comment on the draft
plan.
Send comments to Kevin Goodson at Kevin.W.Goodson@state.or.us, or Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive, Salem, OR 97302 – Attn: Kevin Goodson
