The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering updates to the rules governing fish passage at dams and artificial barriers. Please take a moment to submit comments to the Fish Passage Task Force encouraging them to strengthen Oregon's fish passage rules and improve the ability of our native fish to survive and flourish in the waters of the state.

Comments can be submitted by email to odfw.passagerules@odfw.oregon.gov. The comment deadline is 11:59 p.m. Thursday, September 29, 2022. For more information on the proposed rules, go here.

It's always best to use your own words in the comments but here are a few of general points to make:

• The rules should expand the circumstances under which the owners of dams and other barriers are required to provide fish passage. For example, in describing when repairs to a dam or barrier are a "trigger" to fish passage requirements, the rules should direct the Department to consider the cumulative significance of the repairs.

• The rules should limit exemptions from fish passage requirements to circumstances when no fish are at the site and future restoration of fish to the site is not foreseeable.

• The rules should toughen requirements for fish passage waivers by ensuring that mitigation to make up for lack of fish passage in fact provides more benefits for fish than fish passage would have provided.

• The process for granting waivers and exemptions from fish passage laws should ensure transparent and effective public notice and opportunities to comment, and to challenge the determinations of the Department when appropriate.

Thank you for taking a moment and joining the groundswell of public support advocating for abundant wild fish, free-flowing rivers, and thriving local communities!