OCA Members and Friends,

I hope all is well and you are fishing when you can. This was a great year for catching Coho in the ocean. I’m still hoping for bottom fishing opportunities and ocean crabbing has been excellent. It would be nice, to get together for an OCA meeting, I’ll send out a notice when a meeting is possible.

ODFW Commissioners meet on October 15th, for a virtual ZOOM Meeting. ODFW representatives from the Southern Zone will be presenting the latest draft of the Multi-Species RSP for information to the commissioners. The commissioners will have an opportunity to respond, comment and request changes. At the December 17th commissioners meeting they will vote on approval or rejection of the Southern Zone RSP.

Based on all the input received from the Southern Zone Multi-Species RSP and the best scientific information available, ODFW has recommended the following; “provide additional fishing opportunity through hatchery programs”, and to continue “… existing bag limits (for Winter Wild Steelhead) established by the Commission in 2018 will be maintained for this five year period (ie. 1 per day/3 annually.” More information is available at Exhibit D_Attachment 2_Draft RSP Executive Summary.pdf (state.or.us) and at the ODFW Commissioners website.

There will be MANY supporters of the Native Fish Society and like organizations writing in and testifying against acceptance of ODFW’s recommendations. I urge all OCA members and friends to send an email in support of ODFW’s recommendations. Emails should be addressed to [email protected]. As a thought starter your email could read; Dear ODFW Commissioners, I support ODFW’s recommendations regarding the draft Rogue-South Coast Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan to “provide additional fishing opportunity through hatchery programs” and “… existing bag limits (for Winter Wild Steelhead) established by the Commission in 2018 will be maintained for this five year period (ie. 1 per day/3 annually.” Thank you for your consideration.

Those of you who would like to testify at the ODFW Commissioners meeting on October 15th, need to provide notice to the commissioners at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Webinar Registration – Zoom (zoomgov.com) I have registered to testify.

There will be many opposing ODFW’s recommendations who want to eliminate hatchery salmonids and any opportunity to harvest wild fish not only in the southern zone, but all Oregon Rivers. Your vote counts and is needed to counter those who would deny us the opportunity to harvest fish, so please make your voice heard.

Good fishing,

Steve