Idaho Fish and Game Commission to Meet in Pocatello

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission may set proposed Chinook salmon seasons on the South Fork Salmon River and Upper Salmon River during its May meeting in Pocatello. The commission's quarterly meeting will start with a public hearing at 7 p.m. May 13 in the Wood River Meeting Room of the Idaho State University Student Union at 1065 Caesar Chavez Way in Pocatello. Other commission business gets under way at 8 a.m. May 14 in the same location. Commissioners also may act on the final pelican management plan. The plan's goal would be to reduce the impacts of foraging pelicans on native cutthroat trout. If adopted, Fish and Game would seek authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to put lethal controls into action because the pelican is protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Fish and Game biologists have proposed eliminating all sandhill crane controlled hunts and change to a limited general hunt, increase the number of tags to 680 and reduce the cost of a tag to $15. If approved by the commission, the sandhill season would start September 1 and runs through September in Caribou and Bear Lake counties, and September 1 through September 15 in Teton, Fremont, Bonneville and Jefferson counties. Other agenda items include setting the 2010 budget and discussing the 2011 budget, a briefing on rules for game animals, and set free fishing day for 2010.