Portland Boat Show starts Jan. 8 at Expo Center
PORTLAND — Hundreds of fishing boats, ski boats, yachts, sailing vessels, personal watercraft, inflatables and more will be on display beginning Jan. 8 at the 54th annual Portland Boat Show.
The five-day event will be the Portland Expo Center, 2060 N. Marine Drive.
Show hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 8 to 10, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Jan. 11 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 10.
General admission is $10. Children age 12 and younger are admitted free. Two-for-one discount coupons are available online at www.otshows.com.
Parking at the Expo Center is $8 during regular hours and $7 for car pools of three or more. Parking is free from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 8, 9 and 10.
Survey to identify issues for state game management plan
OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is conducting a public opinion survey to help identify key wildlife issues to be addressed in the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan.
Information from the survey will help the agency update its current plan, developed in 2003 and updated in 2009. The document guides long-term management of game species and is used to develop three-year hunting packages that set annual regulations.
The survey is available through Jan. 3 at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/game/2015. Paper copies are available by calling 360-902-2515.
The survey address a number of issues including hunter recruitment and retention, hunting regulations, land access, wildlife conflict, habitat enhancement plus questions about specific species.
A draft plan will be available for public comment in the spring.
Mice, rat poison said killing a variety of other wildlife species
Owls, hawks, foxes, bobcats and other species are getting sick or dying from poison baits used to control mice and rats, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says.
Julia Burco, assistant wildlife veterinarian, said wildlife deaths generally are the result of secondary poisoning from anticoagulant rodenticides used in the baits.
Birds and other wildlife eat dead or dying rodents that have consumed the poison.
Owls are especially vulnerable as their diet is largely rodents. Ironically, barn owls eat about six voles or rodents per night.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends the use of mechanical traps for rodent control.
