(2) The department shall appoint to the committee a balance of persons who take bay clams for commercial purposes, take bay clams for noncommercial purposes, are members of a group that advocates conservation or have another interest in bay clams.

(3) The committee shall make recommendations to the department on:

(a) Adopting rules related to bay clams;

(b) Ensuring the sustainability of the take of bay clams in Tillamook Bay;

(c) Balancing the take of bay clams in Tillamook Bay for commercial purposes with the take of bay clams in Tillamook Bay for noncommercial purposes;

(d) Establishing physical boundaries for, or seasonal restrictions on, the take of bay clams in Tillamook Bay for commercial purposes, to reduce conflicts between persons who take bay clams in Tillamook Bay for commercial purposes and salmon anglers in and around the Ghost Hole fishing area in Tillamook Bay;

(e) Establishing areas in Tillamook Bay that are closed to the take of bay clams for commercial purposes and open to the take of bay clams for noncommercial purposes;

(f) Monitoring the take of bay clams;

(g) Establishing additional restrictions on the annual take of bay clams in intertidal and subtidal areas in Oregon bays;

(h) Limiting the take of bay clams in Oregon bays for commercial purposes; and

(i) Assessing bay clam populations in Oregon bays.

(4) The department shall consider the recommendations of the committee.

(5) The committee shall assist the department in preparing any funding requests related to bay clams.

(6) In addition to the recommendations identified in subsection (3) of this section, the committee may advise the department on other matters related to bay clams. [2019 c.564 §2]

Note: 506.898 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 506 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.

Note: Sections 1 and 4, chapter 564, Oregon Laws 2019, provide:

Sec. 1. (1) On or before December 31, 2021, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife shall produce a survey of bay clam populations in priority areas in Tillamook Bay.

(2) By rule, the department shall establish the priority areas identified in subsection (1) of this section. [2019 c.564 §1]

Sec. 4. On or before December 31, 2022, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife shall report to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly relating to natural resources, in the manner provided by ORS 192.245, on the recommendations of the Tillamook Bay Clam Advisory Committee established under section 2 of this 2019 Act [506.898]. [2019 c.564 §4]