April 23, 2022 6:50 a.m.

On Friday, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission decided not to release hatchery summer steelhead smolts into the North Umpqua River this year and eliminate the Rock Creek summer steelhead hatchery program.

The move came in a split 4-3 vote at the commission’s meeting in Astoria.

A release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the vote ends this hatchery program, as it will be the second year in a row of no hatchery summer steelhead smolts being released into the North Umpqua. None were released in 2021 due to wildfire impacts.

The release said commissioner’s heard testimony from two panels representing opposing views on the issue, as well as the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, State Representatives David Brock Smith and Boomer Wright, Douglas County Commissioner Tom Kress and about a dozen members of the public who signed up to testify remotely.