Need another Hobby?

 

ODFW and their Angling and Aquatic Education group is looking for volunteer angler instructors to teach others in the public - especially youngsters - how to fish. These opportunities exist in the myriad of clinics and educations efforts provided by ODFW. Consider it and shape the future!

February 13, 2015

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will host an Angler and Aquatic Education Instructor training on Saturday, March 7 at ODFW Headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE.

The training, which will go from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is free and open to anyone 18 years or older who is interested in becoming a volunteer fishing instructor.

Dredging....

Livin' on the dredge: Army Corps mucks out the Snake
Do the benefits of barge traffic outweigh the cost of dams?


Ben Goldfarb
Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

On the morning on January 12, not far from the Idaho-Washington border, a clawlike dredge descended from a crane, scooped up a wad of sediment from the bottom of the Snake River, and dumped the sludge into the bed of a waiting barge.

Court declines injunction....

continuing from the EARLIER POST.....
 
Court declines injunction to prevent lower Snake dredging this winter.
Legal challenge by fishing businesses, conservation groups and Nez Perce Tribe moves forward

Jan. 5, 2015

SEATTLE -- Today the Honorable Judge James L. Robart of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, declined to issue an injunction to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from dredging the lower Snake waterway this winter.  The court is expected to consider the full merits of the case itself later this year. 

Last November, non-profit environmental law firm Earthjustice, representing Idaho Rivers United, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Washington Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club and Friends of the Clearwater, joined with the Nez Perce Tribe to file a complaint challenging the Corps’ approval of a $6.7 million lower Snake River dredging project scheduled to begin this month.

What'd I miss - February Edition

February TVTU Meeting

Hooo boy! You did miss out indeed - the annual February mixed meeting really came together this year! Our shared meeting with Stonefly Maidens always is a crowd gatherer and this year was no exception - over 75 persons attended! Hard to beat a showing like that.....and truth is though we formally invite the Maidens and share the February meeting, the invitation is really a standing one. It would be spectacular to have the ladies participate every month [which several actually do as we know many are members of BOTH clubs!].

A lucky winner - THANKS Stonefly Maidens!

We also debuted the new TVTU portable PA system - what an addition; the discussion has been on going for years but the action occurred just recently. There are some line of site issues with transmission we noticed and some other peculiarities but rest assured when Jeff Morgan presents next month - we'll know a lot more to better use this nice set up! The better for everyone to hear!

So the crowd settled in with some nice malted beverages and food from our friends at the Lucky Lab......

Columbia Basin Bulletin: Fish & Wildlife News

Will Lower Snake Dredging Harm Lamprey?

In Court Filings Feds, Ports Say Such Claims ‘Speculative’

Tribal and conservation groups’ “speculative” claims of potential harm to Pacific lamprey do not outweigh the need to ensure, via dredging, safe passage for commercial vessels, and their operators, that ply the lower Snake River, according to court documents filed this week by the federal government and shipping interests.  

The filings come in response to filings in late November with the U.S. District Court for the District of Western Washington by six Northwest fishing and conservation groups and the Nez Perce Tribe. The plaintiffs seek court action to stop a planned $6.7 million Snake River navigation channel dredging project that was scheduled to begin Dec. 15 or soon thereafter. 

Don't forget!

CONSERVATION!

WHEN: February 21st, 2015
WHERE: McKenzie Farms, 17272 South Gerber Road Carver, Oregon
WHAT TIME: 9:00 a.m.
WHAT to EXPECT: Christmas tree loading - Mckenzie Farms. Our gracious corporate partner is allowing us to once again save unused trees from their chippers and return them to the environment!

We will be loading christmas trees donated by McKenzie Farms. Partners from the Wild North Coast Chapter, Doug Ray and Byren Thompson will be bringing a trailer from Seaside and transporting them to the coast; their crew of volunteers meet them at the coastal sites to unload. If we still have room we will then go to a nearby field and load some more trees. This should take 2 to 3 hours.

Please contact Michael Ellis and sign-up!

Clackamas Water Rights.....

You may recall coming to a TVTU General meeting a few years ago when John DeVoe with WaterWatch spoke about the battle for water on the Clackamas River. Lawsuits followed and courts have ruled.......

The Clackamas River east of the Carver Boat Ramp.  [Brent Wojahn/ The Oregonian]

Oregon Court of Appeals sides with salmon in lawsuit over Clackamas River water use

By Kelly House | The Oregonian
January 05, 2015 at 4:26 PM

The Oregon Court of Appeals has ruled that the state Water Resources Department failed to limit the amount of water cities and water districts can draw from the lower Clackamas River so that there would be enough water left in the river for threatened and endangered salmon.

New news....

Though most likely a bit tardy for many....following last weeks notes about the ODFW director interviews - it is oh-FISH-al - Curt Melcher will get the nod for the director position. Details will be worked out so acceptance may be a bit later.....

ODFW News Release

Tom Wolf let us know last week when it was announced and Tom has graciously reached out to Curt congratulating him and saying TU wanted to work with him in helping ODFW with their funding issues and conservation mission.

In the news.....

CEOs of a dozen venture capital firms say the solitude and recreation available on public land can be viewed as economic opportunities to attract new business to the West.   Photo of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, on Wikimedia Commons

Investment CEOs: Public Lands a Smart Investment for U.S.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A dozen leaders of venture capital and investment firms say they think the United States should be "investing" in protecting more public land.

Members of the new "Conservation for Economic Growth Coalition" say they'll encourage Congress and the president to expand national parks and declare new national monuments and wilderness areas.

We interrupt this program with.....

What happens to Natural Resources if/when the Governor resigns?

With John Kitzhaber announcing his resignation today [effective Feb 18], Tom Wolf/OCTU Executive Director weighs in on the impacts for TU interest and expresses continued hope for the future:

[With the resignation of  Governor John Kitzhaber...] Secretary of State Kate Brown will become Governor until 2016 when there will be a special election to fill out the last 2 years of Kitzhaber's term.

So what happens then to natural Resources?.....

State of TU Address....

"Conservation isn't the telling of what's been or could be lost. It is the faith in, and work toward, what has yet to be won," Wood told members in the State of TU address. "The work that you do in your local communities is a demonstration of your commitment to the values that drive this organization."

State of Trout Unlimited from Trout Unlimited on Vimeo.

The State of TU presentation from Trout Unlimited President and CEO Chris Wood to members at TU's annual meeting in New Mexico shows TU had a big year in 2014, and its members and volunteers continued to play a vital role in the success of the national organization.

ODFW Director....3 shortlisted

ODFW announced last Friday [February 6th] that they are down to 3 finalists for the Department Director job. On the shortlist:

• Curt Melcher, interim Director ODFW
• Ed Bowles, ODFW Fisheries Director
• Krystyna Wolniakowski, former Director, USFW Foundation, now with OWEB

ODFW will have a public meeting on Thursday, February 12 from 9am to 12 noon where the public can ask questions. If you want to watch the hearing they are streaming it - http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/  .

Reminder!!

GENERAL MEETING!

WHEN: Wednesday, February 11, 2015
WHERE: Lucky Lab Public House [Multnomah] 
WHAT TIME: 6:30 p.m. Socializing; meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.
WHAT to EXPECT: Dave Hughes - "Trout from Small Streams"

Don't miss the BONUS PRESENTATION: Dave will include a casting demonstration and gear review prior to the meeting - join him at the Multnomah Arts Center Auditorium [across the street from the Lucky Lab] at 4:00 p.m. Bring your small stream set-up for some input and learn some technical casting techniques! Don't miss this SPECIAL BONUS.

As an added note: the TVTU board has purchased a portable PA system with handheld and remote microphones for the general meetings to enhance everyone's audio pleasure! We hope to have this added benefit to debut at this February meeting and presentation!

Green Decoys.....

From National TU an interesting notice was distributed - regarding OP/ED pieces and their sources:

In recent months, Trout Unlimited's national staff has become aware of an aggressive public relations campaign aimed at TU and several other prominent conservation organizations.

A Washington DC-based individual has been submitting opinion commentaries and letters to the editor accusing Trout Unlimited of having a hidden "left-wing environmental agenda."

Columbia Returns....

Tom Wolf back in December forwarded us some information on the ODFW/WDFW counts and forecasts for returns on the Columbia [all are CLICKABLE links]; we are just getting around to sending these on........

Columbia River Fall Chinook  - 2014

Preliminary Returns and Outlook - 2015

2014 Adult Returns

2015 Expectations Columbia River

Preliminary Draft

 Columbia River

Adult Salmon Returns: Actual and Forecast

2015

JOINT STAFF REPORT:

STOCK STATUS AND FISHERIES

2015

JOINT STAFF REPORT:

STURGEON AND SMELT

These and other published reports are also available through the ODFW Website <HERE>.

Elliot State Forest...catching up

Elliott rainforest   [photo: Cascadia Wildlands]

State of Oregon Shelves Elliott State Forest Privatization Idea

 97% of Public Comment Encourages a Conservation Solution for the Iconic Forest

The State of Oregon has decided against privatizing the Elliott State Forest after receiving overwhelming public comment encouraging a conservation solution for the 93,000-acre state forest located northeast of Coos Bay. 1,147 out of 1,185 comments received during the public process, or 97%, encouraged the Department of State Lands and the Oregon State Land Board to protect the iconic forests for its outstanding water quality, salmon and wildlife habitat, hunting and fishing opportunities and its remarkable ability to store carbon to mitigate climate change.

Instead of privatizing the forest, the Land Board, made up of Governor John Kitzhaber, Secretary Kate Brown, and Treasurer Ted Wheeler, will continue to explore various management alternatives

February at TVTU!!

The new year is passing us by - TVTU's Christmas for Coho public tree collection efforts are complete for the year, our rain is looking slightly behind for the year, snow is sorely lacking - fishing is looking up so far.....we hope everyone's team won the Superbowl [not really possible but we're hedging bets that the Seahawks are the overwhelming regional team and therefore everyone is pulling for them to take it....].

So what is in store for February with TVTU.............