WRP Executive Committee Meeting
Minutes
Members Present: Tina Proctor, John Chapman, Jim Athearn, Scott Smith, Mike Stone, Ted Grosholz, Blaine Parker, Al Van Vooren
Members Absent: Mark Sytsma, Susan Ellis, Nate Dechoretz, Dwight Williamson,
Next call: January 9, 2003 9:00 Pacific Time
1. Welcome to Al Van Vooren
2. ANS Task Force Update
Tina, Scott, Susan and Mark attended the ANS Task Force meeting in Honolulu in November. Representatives from Hawaii plus other Pacific Islands spoke to the Task Force about creating a new Pacific Island Regional Panel. Cathy Short asked that they present a proposal for development and operation of such a panel at the Task Force spring 2003 meeting. Scott said he is very supportive of the idea because the island issues are different and, in many ways, more pressing than the rest of the WRP.
Scott made a request that the Task Force convene a Spartina coordination committee. He was asked to make a presentation at the spring 2003 Task Force meeting about why it is needed.
Tina will be putting together a committee to develop a New Zealand mudsnail management and control plan to be approved by the Task Force. John mentioned he has written a proposal to Sea Grant to look at the geographical distribution of the mudsnails and would like to be involved in the development of the plan.
3. NAISA - What happens next?
The bill will not be voted on this year. The prime sponsors are committed to introducing the bill at the very beginning of the next session and getting it passed in the first 100 days. A few minor changes might be made but nothing major is expected. The President has said that there will be no new funds recommended for the program, and that, even if the bill is passed, affected agencies will have to operate with existing funds. Scott has been encouraging organizations to write support letters. A letter from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies has been written and is getting approved. The Western Governors’ Association and National Governors’ Association have both written letters. Jim commented that we need to encourage organizations that can deliver voters, not just state agencies and associations.
4. Committee and Work Plan Planning Process
Tina presented a draft time line for the WRP Committee and Work Plan Planning Process. The Committee reviewed the process and time line, made suggestions and agreed on the attached version. The Committee agreed that it is important for each member to have a clear idea of the process for work plan development.
Tina will sent out a list of committee members for both the Inland and Coastal Committees and ask members to add or withdraw their names so that each Committee Chair has a working list. Committee chairs will also be asked to make sure that meetings/conference calls are documented in minutes and Jim suggested that they should be posted on the web site along with the Executive Committee conference call minutes.
5. Current Work Plan - updates
Getting funds to the projects - process
6. Draft WRP Recommended State Actions
Scott sent the draft Recommended State Actions that he agreed to prepare for this conference call. Several of the Executive Committee members did not receive them or had not read them. They will be sent out again and the Committee agreed to read them and make suggestions for changes or additions to Scott. Scott will revise and the Committee will discuss at the next call, January 9.
7. Next annual meeting planning (Sept. 2003 in La Jolla, CA)
Tina has been in contact with Paul Olin, who agreed to help with the next annual meeting to be held in La Jolla in mid-September 2003. Tina will recruit members to be on the annual meeting planning team and planning will start in January. Scott, John, Jim and Mike agreed to help with the team.
8. ANS Management Plans - update
Mike Fraidenberg has continued to work with California and Arizona as they develop their plans. Scott mentioned there is still $1,500 left in the cooperative agreement with WGA to be used on these plans, so the states can continue to work with Mike, until the funds are used.
Tina will send an e-mail to invite states to apply for funding for 2003. They can either request help from a facilitator or can ask for funds to come directly to the agency.
9. Additional issues or announcements
Scott did a presentation on aquatic invasive plants at a conference called Invasive Plant Restoration in the West–A Partnership Workshop, sponsored by the Center for Invasive Plant Management and the National Invasive Species Council staff. They are looking for ways to partner with us so they can give more attention to invasive aquatic plants.
Scott mentioned that Dennis Wright, who represents Fisheries and Oceans, Canada on the WRP, will be taking the lead for a Canadian project on ballast water management.
December 12, 2002
Scott welcomed Al Van Vooren as a new member of the Executive Committee. Al represents the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies on the WRP. He is a regional manager for Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Have list of events - need to contact each one. Proposal will be prepared by February 1st
Lynn Schlueter is out in December so there is no progress report
Proposal approved by Executive Committee. Cooperative agreement with Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission has been completed. Paul Heimowitz is ready to move forward on this project.
Proposal has been written and is being reviewed by USGS staff. It will be available to Executive Committee within two weeks.
John worked on this project this fall but still doesn’t have commitment from Mexico. He will prepare a proposal in January to move ahead again.
Susan Ellis will check with UC Davis students about taking on this project.
Tina spoke with Western Governors’ Association staff this week and they were supportive of using a portion of the $37,000 still available in a cooperative agreement with the WRP for State ANS Management Plans. Scott and Tina agreed to have a conference call with WGA staff to talk about where the rest of the funds would be targeted.