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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2017)
2 B SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 Siuslaw 14U team brings home tourney title The 14U Gold team includes: head coach is Kari Blake, assistant coach Travis Blake, Hannah Crader, Savannah Colton, Emily Edmond, Brea Blankenship, Lindsey Long and Kya Blake. The Siuslaw Club Volleyball 14U Gold Team struck tournament gold last Sunday, Feb. 12, at McKay High School in Salem, dur- ing the regular-season Power League tournament. The team overcame more than its opponents to take the title, including having just six players available to due illness and injury. Competing in a 2-games- to-25-points format, with a third game tiebreaker to 15 points, The Siuslaw Gold Team swept both games in each of its three qualifying matches, advancing them to brackets play. From there, they went undefeated to earn the championship after never having to play in a tiebreaker throughout the tournament. “With only six girls play- ing, it meant no subs to COURTESY PHOTO RECOVERY PLAN AIMS FOR DELISTING NOAA Fisheries have released a recovery plan for Oregon Coast coho salmon that calls for public-private partner- ships to conserve habitat for the threatened species, positioning coho for possible removal from the federal list of threatened and endangered species within the next 10 years. If the plan is successful, Oregon Coast coho could become the first of 28 threat- ened and endangered species of salmon and steelhead on the West Coast to recover to the point they can be delisted from the Endangered Species Act. “We can see that recovery is in reach for Oregon Coast coho, which is a testament to the hard work by the state, coastal communities and landowners to restore habitat and reduce threats from hatch- eries and harvest,” said Barry Thom, Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. “Strong partnerships have brought us this far, and they will be critical to get the rest of the way to delisting.” As many as one to two mil- lion coho once returned to rivers and streams on the Oregon Coast, supporting fish- eries that helped anchor local economies. Intensive fishing and heavy logging through the 1900s contributed to declines, and the number of spawning adults dropped below 15,000 in the 1980s. NOAA Fisheries initially listed Oregon Coast coho as a threatened species in 1998. The condition of the species has since improved as state fish and wildlife officials reduced the risks posed by harvest and hatcheries. Partnerships bridg- ing state, local, tribal and feder- al levels have helped imple- ment projects to reopen and improve habitat. Recent numbers have ranged from more than 350,000 spawning adults in 2011 and 2014, dropping back to 57,000 in 2015. The threats still affecting coho include degraded habitat, especially the loss of floodplain Flood conditions means caution for boaters Last week’s historic snow- fall and the projected warm, wet forecast this week sets up the perfect scenario for poten- tial flooding on area rivers. With flooding comes debris flows with trees, root wads, and other material that can impact the safety of boaters on the water. The Oregon Marine Board and marine law enforce- ment strongly urge boaters to take the following precautions: • Make sure the boat ramp is open for launching. The Marine Board is work- ing closely with facility man- agers and will include closure Viks information on the Boat Oregon Map. • Scout the river before run- ning it. Rivers are dynamic, and don’t stay the same over time. Boulders and logs move, trees fall and currents shift. When in doubt — scout and portage out. • Wear a life jacket. Given the water temperature and equally cold air temperature, boaters are encouraged to wear a properly fitting life jacket on the outside of their cold weath- er attire. • Boat with others and stay within sight of one another. • Know your limits and how to self-rescue. Be sure your skills and experience are equal to the river and the conditions. • Fill out a digital float plan and print out a copy to let oth- ers know where you are boat- ing and when to expect your return. The digital form, when submitted, sends an email to the Marine Board that can be used later to aid marine law enforcement should a boater need help. Visit www.boatoregon.com and click on the Boat Oregon Map. from 1B top scorer this season, had 5 points in the game but played a key role in pressuring the ball and creating opportuni- ties for the Viking offense. In scoring, King led with 12 points, followed by Cornish and Hickson with 10 points each. Freshman post Sam Myers had a season- high 9 points and senior Marcos Reyna-Ayala had 3 points. That same night, North Bend (8-0) clinched the league title after defeating Marshfield. The win put Siuslaw, 4-4, in a three-way tie once again for second place with Marshfield and Douglas, who the Viks played last night (after press deadlines.) Friday, the Vikings will host the Bulldogs in what could be a crucial game to decide Siuslaw’s fate in reaching the playoffs. Tipoff for Friday’s final league game, which will also be Senior Night, is set for 7:30 p.m. Visit the Siuslaw News online at WWW.THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM WE BUY GUNS FLORENCE GUN SHOP B U Y, S E L L & T R A D E 539 H IGHWAY 101, F LORENCE (541) 997-0500 WWW . FLORENCEGUNSHOP . COM Let Paul show you a new car or truck. Stop by today! 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 habitat where many juvenile coho spend their first year growing before migrating to the ocean. A lack of large wood in rivers that provides rearing habitat for young fish is also a factor. Reduced water quality and barriers such as culverts that block migrating fish pose continuing threats. “The best available science tells us that habitat is the bot- tom line in stabilizing and rebuilding coho to the point they can sustain themselves,” said Rob Walton, recovery coordinator for NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region in western Oregon. Coho remain vulnerable to the effects of cli- O REGON mate change on the rivers and streams where they spawn and rear, but improved habitat can help mitigate those impacts. The plan is voluntary, not regulatory, and hinges on local support and collaboration. Coho recovery, and ultimately delisting, will depend in large part on voluntary actions by partners implementing the recovery plan, complemented by regulatory protections under the Endangered Species Act and other state and local direc- tives. The plan promotes a network of partnerships that integrate the needs of Oregon Coast coho with the needs of coastal com- munities. COHO “The plan recognizes the critical role of local landowners and communities in bringing about recovery,” said Guido Rahr, president and CEO of the Wild Salmon Center in Portland, which is leading development of a business plan to guide local recovery meas- ures. “We all must be part of a solution that will deliver multi- ple benefits for Oregon in the form of resilient communities, improved habitat and healthy fish populations.” For more details and to view the recovery plan, visit NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region website at www.go.usa.gov/ x8w53. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK NOAA give anyone a break,” said Siuslaw Gold coach Kari Blake. “Some of these girls play certain positions, this again meant that everyone had to play every position. “I must say it was the best Siuslaw Club tour- nament performance I have ever seen.”