Sardine haul on deck

Sardines netted off of Astoria await storage, ice, then processing on the deck of a sardine boat. New rules under consideration by the Pacific Fishery Management Council could restrict new forage fisheries along the West Coast. Existing fisheries like sardines would not be affected.

(Photo by Ross William Hamilton/The Oregonian)

West coast fishery managers are poised to make a decision next week that could alter the future of fishing in federal waters off the Pacific Coast, as well as in Oregon's state-regulated nearshore waters.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is scheduled to vote Monday on a proposal to restrict new forage fisheries off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington unless prospective fishermen can prove harvesting a new species would not damage the ecosystem. If the new rules gain approval, existing forage fisheries along the West Coast will not be impacted.

New information gleaned from a 21-day cruise with endangered killer whales of Oregon and Washington could provide crucial information as federal officials consider expanding critical habitat for the sea mammals. Scientists just returned from a 21-day trip aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Bell M. Shimada research vessel, following Washington's southern resident killer whales on their winter journey along the Pacific Coast. With unusually pristine conditions and the benefit of satellite tags to track two whale pods, scientists were able to collect far more data than in years past, including information that could help them decide whether the southern residents' critical habitat should expand to include their winter roving range.

Portland's fourth Climate Action Plan combines carbon emissions reduction goals with targets to ensure the poorest neighborhoods aren't left out. The city of Portland and Multnomah County released a draft version of the plan on Tuesday, and are seeking public comment. The 160-page document reiterates some of the strategies that led the region to cut carbon emissions by 14 percent since 1990, the Portland Business Journal's Wendy Culverwell reports, but social equity gets a new focus.

Federal fish and wildlife managers must complete a plan to ensure commercial activities at two Northwest wildlife refuges don't harm wildlife, a U.S. District Court judge has ruled. Magistrate Judge Mark Clark's preliminary ruling Thursday calls upon the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete a Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake refuges, both of which are near the Oregon-California border. A 1997 law mandates such plans for every national wildlife refuge unit in the nation. Environmentalists sued the federal government for failing to craft a plan. They argue agribusiness leases in the refuge frequently wins out critical bird habitat for limited water resources.

-- Kelly House

khouse@oregonian.com

503-221-8178

@Kelly_M_House