Meeting Information February 2013

AGENDA

February 11, 2013

Fish and Wildlife Service Conference

Room 2072

4501 North Fairfax Drive

Arlington, VA

MEETING MINUTES - FEBRUARY 11, 2013

Convene – Thomas Dammrich, Council Chair

Boating Issues Committee – John Sprague, Chair

Boating Infrastructure Grant Program: Discussion and consideration of Fiscal Year 2013 BIG Grant Recommendations;

John Sprague, Chair, BIG Project Proposal Review Team

• John Sprague explained the BIG project information provided to Council members for their consideration. He also recapped the ranking meeting, which is a joint meeting between a Council project review team and FWS BIG Program Coordinators.
  • Sprague reiterated that the joint meeting format is a good one and that it is a good way to do business.
  • Bohnsack also noted the utility of the meeting that results from having outside expertise at the table. This private sector perspective is one that many in the FWS do not have.

McKeever made a motion that the Council accept the project funding recommendations as provided by Boating Issues Committee John Sprague. Adams seconded the motion. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote.

Update of SFBPC Fish and Aquatic Resource Conservation “Vision” Project

Doug Hobbs, SFBPC Coordinator and Whitney Tilt, D.J. Case & Associates

• Hobbs and Tilt updated Council members of the status of the strategic planning process.
  
  The project involves 3 groups of fisheries expertise and experience:
  • FWS Team consisting of 9 Assistant Regional Directors and/or their designees, and representatives from other FWS programs.
  • SFBPC Strategic Plan Steering Committee (Steering Committee) consisting of SFBPC Fisheries Issues Committee, the FWS Team, and representatives from the larger fisheries community.
  • FWS Fisheries Stakeholders and Partners (Partners) comprising the broad fisheries conservation community including states, tribes, other federal agencies, conservation organizations, research and academia, and private interests.
    
     
• The project is in:
  • Phase 2: Ensuring Buy-­‐in and Ownership of Vision and associated Strategic Plan Framework by partners.
    • Planning to brief State directors at the North American Wildlife Conference in March.
  • Phase 3: Development of Final Vision and Draft Strategic Plan
    • SFBPC Coordinator and Fisheries Issues Committee, and DJ Case are in the process of drafting the updates to the vision document.
    • Prepping for presenting products at next SFBPC meeting.

FWS Fisheries Program Update

Jeff Underwood, Acting Assistant Director-­‐Fisheries and Habitat Conservation,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Underwood briefed Council members on the reorganization of the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program.
• He also indicated that the new Assistant Director has not been named. Expect that very soon.

Outreach and Communications Committee – Scott Kovarovics, Chair

• Consideration of SFBPC Nominations to the Board of Directors of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation
  • Kovarovics summarized the process for offering RBFF Board appointments & the names being submitted for Council approval.
  • Kovarovics explained that the Outreach Committee also serves as the nominating committee
  • Kovarovics submitted Chris Edmonston, BoatU.S. Foundation President, and Glenn Hughes, Bonnier Media Corporation, as nominees for appointment.

Ratte made a motion that the Council accept the nominees. Huskins seconded the motion. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote.

Motion to adjourn: Multiple

Second: Doug Boyd

Motion approved unanimously: Meeting adjourned