Springfield, OR. — The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 6–1 on February 20 in Springfield to deny a petition seeking immediate modifications to Oregon’s commercial crab fishery rules aimed at reducing whale entanglement risks.
The petition, submitted by conservation groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council, and American Cetacean Society, asked the Commission to direct the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to begin a formal rulemaking process.
Commissioners declined the request but urged ODFW to continue its existing rulemaking efforts and work with NOAA Fisheries to secure federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) coverage…