| PUBLIC FORUM
Vice President Richard Rogers introduced newly appointed Commissioner Judd Hanna to the public.
Rollin Richards, President of Humboldt State University, James Howard, Dean of Humboldt State University and Jimmy Smith, Board of Supervisors for Humboldt County, welcomed the Commissioners to Arcata. Mr. Richards also encouraged the Commission to seek assistance from Humboldt faculty to provide help in providing a scientific basis for some of the decisions made by the Commission.
Douglas Bush requested assistance from the Commission regarding renewal of or extension with Kelp Bed Lease 208. He indicated that he failed to provide written notification for intent to renew lease within the 120-day advance written notification requirement.
Deputy Attorney William Cunningham stated that due to the Bagley Keene Act, there was no time to get this issue onto the March Agenda. He suggested that if all materials were in order, and a recommendation could come from the Department, then a specially scheduled meeting could be held at the end of March.
Executive Director John Carlson stated that a teleconference call would be setup in late March with a quorum of Commissioners, and a 10-day public notice period required by law; and that he would inform Mr. Bush of the date.
Richard Gienger discussed issues involving Coho salmon and personnel needed to implement the Coho recovery strategy plan. He inquired about the status of the joint policy on Coho with the Board of Forestry and Commission, and also discussed the different monitoring initiatives funded by Proposition 84.
Charles Bucaria submitted an outline to Commissioners with recommendations on how to manage the Smith River and available methods of take as pressure on the resource continues to increase. He requested this outline be referred to the Taucher Committee.
April Wakeman welcomed Judd Hanna to the Commission and presented the Commissioners with a paper examining the 2004-2005 Trawl Bill.
Chris Voss discussed taking a closer look at the way the management of fisheries is funded and supplying the funds necessary in order to support a management system to assure sustainability.
Vice President Rogers stated that constituents can impact funding by contacting their local Senators and Assembly people to express their interest in California ’s resources.
Ben Taylor proposed the creation of a mobile task force of wardens in plain clothes, to be deployed when or where they are most needed, and also to establish and fund a fish monitoring program for the Smith River.
Kenyon Hensel proposed, at the next review of the Nearshore Fishery Management Plan, to agendize having nearshore permits become area specific, as well as making them one-to-one transferable for commercial fisheries.
Bill James handed out a three-page informational document of graphs, percentages and trends, and will also be sending a table to Commissioners regarding groundfish species and stock assessments. He predicted that new stock assessments due in 2007 will continue to show increases through traditional fisheries management
Zeke Grader requested agendizing the Klamath River incidental take permits regarding landowners, as well as recommending a discussion on TMDL’s and the Klamath in regards to funding. He also requested a full discussion of the Trawl Bill and implementation, and the third is recommending the Commission name a subcommittee to work with people in the private sector regarding the Department’s budget.
Jim Martin submitted a letter to the Commission suggesting developing a consistent policy regarding wild game feeds in Fort Bragg and possession of over limits due to stockpiling of fish for this event.
Chief Nancy Foley stated the problem lies within taking a sport fishery and turning it into a commercial fishery; whereas people are stockpiling and being over the possession limits. She directed Rob Allen in Enforcement to take a look at the problem.
Mitch Farro discussed the over population of Alution geese and thanked the Commission for having a late season in Humboldt County in order to control the burgeoning population.
Paul Weakland requested the Commission agendize withering syndrome and requested the opening of abalone harvesting in several bay area counties.
David Dempsey discussed the MLPA’s and urged caution on some of the regulatory changes in regard to recreational fisherman. He also discussed the striped bass fishery in the Delta and having some sort of action on a slot limit. He will present a write up for the next Taucher Committee Meeting.
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