in other words
february18
2016
Salem Update: Dealing with Poaching
By Representative
Brad Witt
As the Chair of
the House Agriculture
and Natural Resources
Committee, I am
always
interested
in finding out what is going on in the
other forty-nine states, what problems
they have and what successes they have
experienced when it comes to dealing
with rural issues. Recently, I attended
the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders
(SARL) Summit in Denver, Colorado,
an organization expressly designed to
provide all fifty states and some Canadian
Provinces with the opportunity to share
experiences and troubleshoot ideas.
The SARL was formed in 2002,
and it is managed by an elected board
of nine, and I’m proud to say that I was
elected as a director at our most recent
meeting based upon a proposed agenda
that addresses many of the members’
mutual concerns. They are as follows:
1. The necessity for long term water
storage, particularly in these times of
lengthy drought.
2. Comprehensive predator management
policies.
3. Sustainable approaches to habitat
protection/enhancement that place
environmental, social, and economic
considerations on equal footing.
4. The provision of sound science and
messaging about key issues important to
the Ag community and rural America.
SARL’s mission is to promote
and foster cooperation, leadership and
educational opportunities among state
and provincial legislators. I look forward
to a mutually enriching involvement
with my fellow elected officials and I
hope to bring the products of experience
and innovation back to Oregon.
happy to say that we completed our
agenda of House bills and we now await
the influx from the Senate.
One of the bills passed out of
committee, I believe, will hold special
interest for District 31. HB 4046,
deals with increased damages for the
unlawful taking or killing of wildlife
(poaching). Hunting and fishing are part
of the fabric of most rural communities
and we are no exception, however we
have to acknowledge that there are at
times a few bad actors that spoil it for
everyone. We have read, all too often,
about persons who kill black bears for
their paws and/or organs, take sturgeon
for their eggs, kill elk or deer for their
antlers, and leave the animals and fish to
waste. It is the antithesis of everything
that we consider to be humane and
sportsmanlike.
Activities that are considered
poaching include killing an animal out
of season, without a license, with a
prohibited weapon, or in a prohibited
manner. Killing a protected species,
exceeding one’s bag limit or killing an
animal while trespassing may also be
considered poaching. HB 4046 increases
penalties significantly for the unlawful
taking or killing of certain wildlife and
it prohibits the removal or utilization of
certain animal parts. It also adds the
gray wolf, black bear, cougar, and sage
grouse to the list of animals for which
penalties may be assessed. The vast
majority of hunters and fishers would
never consider wasting their catch…this
bill is for those who won’t play by the
rules.
is embarking on an aggressive three-
pronged approach that involves
minimizing the risk of continued
introduction, increasing surveillance of
high-risk areas, and treatment of infected
areas. Although the Department has
held informational hearings and sent
letters to area residents, if you have
any questions about the process please
feel free to contact my office for more
information.
On another topic, Mark
McMullen, the state economist,
presented legislators with the revenue
forecast for the state, projected through
June of 2017. In a nut shell, our state is
still showing strong growth, in fact the
best in the nation, but McMullen warns
us that stock market volatility may affect
both corporate and personal income
tax revenues going forward and that
his office is being very cautious about
future revenue. Our reserves are also
strong, with $800 million in the bank,
but it would not be enough to carry us
through another recession. Both the
Governor’s Office and our Legislative
Revenue Office will continue to monitor
the economic landscape closely for any
signs of impending recession.
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February 11th marked an
important deadline in our session
timeline as it is the date that most bills
were required to move out of their
assigned policy committees. Some
move on to either Revenue, Ways and
Means or Rules for further consideration,
but many head directly to the House or
Senate floor for a vote, and then the bills
move to the other chamber for another
round of hearings. The level of activity
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over the last two weeks since our time Although the population of insects is
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My Ag Committee held
informational hearings last week on
another little poacher called the Asian
gypsy moth, which is set to do major
harm to some parts of District 31. The
Oregon Department of Agriculture
has discovered 6 Asian gypsy moths
in the Forest Park area near Linnton.
This invasive species is a devastating
defoliator that feeds on a long list of
deciduous and coniferous trees. In the
last 30 years, the Asian gypsy moth has
been detected in Oregon three times and
successfully eradicated each time. This
latest infestation in Portland is likely
linked to a Russian cargo vessel carrying
steel plates.
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