SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting three webinars and a public meeting in August as part of the agency’s process to chart a sustainable future for state hatcheries. A thorough review and assessment of 14 state-owned hatcheries was directed by the 2023 Oregon Legislature and conducted by third party contractors.
Webinars run from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Aug. 1, 8, and 15. Webinar details are available online; you must click the green “Register now” button for each webinar you plan to attend. The webinars will be recorded and posted on ODFW’s hatchery sustainability website.
During the webinars and public meeting, ODFW will share information from the assessments and hold discussions with attendees. Public input will help ODFW find a path forward to create a sustainable hatchery system. That system will need to address the current challenges of aging infrastructure, changing climate, and rising operating costs.
ODFW held the first public meeting June 27. The second public meeting is Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at ODFW Salem headquarters in the Fish and Wildlife Commission room. In-person participation is encouraged. People can also join online (information below).
At this meeting, we’ll discuss the webinars, the formation of a small group, and next steps. The small groups will represent interested statewide parties and discuss ideas for where ODFW should focus investments to create sustainable future hatchery systems. The group will meet in September and October.
ODFW has a web page dedicated to information on the process the agency is taking to create a sustainable plan for Oregon’s hatcheries in the future. Click the link at the top of the page to sign up for email updates.