CBFWA Members,

It is important for Policy representations to attend the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Workshops on Oct. 20-21, 2009 and Nov. 3-5, 2009 in Stevenson, WA. BPA will be presenting their position on monitoring and evaluation on prioritizing BPA funding for BiOp RPA requirements and other programs requirements. The strategies being built are designed to cover additional fish and wildlife managers’ needs and recovery planning needs. It is possible that Policy representatives will discuss the reprioritization of monitoring and evaluation to meet the BiOp requirements within the specified budget identified by BPA.

Contact the Regional Workshop Facilitation Team at Turner Odell at [email protected] and Robert Williams at [email protected]. The Anadromous Monitoring Strategy website link is http://www.cbfwa.org/ams/.

Thank you,

CBFWA Staff

From: Turner Odell [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 4:59 PM
Cc: Turner Odell; Robert Williams; Terri Lindau
Subject: RSVP Requested - Regional M&E Workshop

Greetings –

We are writing to formally invite your participation in the Regional Workshop to develop a Columbia Basin Coordinated Anadromous Monitoring Strategy. The workshop is being convened by a M&E Project Team, consisting of representatives from BPA, CBFWA, NOAA and NPCC, and follows up on work begun in a series of five sub-regional workshops involving technical M&E staff from a broad cross-section of interested co-managers.

The purpose of the Regional Workshop is to reach agreement among participants on an efficient and effective framework and project specific implementation strategy for anadromous salmon and steelhead monitoring to assess (1) Viable Salmonid Population (VSP) parameters, (2) habitat effectiveness and (3) hatchery effectiveness in the Columbia Basin. The agreed-upon framework and strategy will address the needs of the NPCC’s Fish and Wildlife Program, meet the needs of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) BiOp (at a minimum), and contribute to the monitoring needs of ESA recovery planning and other regional fisheries management needs. Anticipated deliverables include an agreed-upon prioritized project list that, first, meets FCRPS BiOp requirements and addresses NPCC F&W Program anadromous fish monitoring responsibilities within a specified Program budget to be provided for ISRP review and NPCC recommendation, and second, addresses recovery planning and other monitoring needs beyond the specified Program budget.

Location and Dates. The Regional Workshop will be held at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington. The workshop will be held in two parts – the first will take place on October 20-21, 2009 and the second part will take place on November 3-5, 2009. Rooms are being held for meeting participants at a government rate for the nights of October 19^th and 20^th as well as November 3^rd and 4^th. Please plan your arrival for the first session to accommodate an 8:30 AM start time on the 20th. For reservations you can call 800-221-7117.

Agenda. The Project team and the facilitators are in the process of developing a detailed proposed agenda and summaries from the sub-regional workshops which will be provided in advance of the workshop. We have attached to this email a draft conceptual agenda that outlines the overall objectives for the workshop as well as a general overview of the specific objectives and tasks to be undertaken over the course of the workshop. It is intended that the first session establish priorities and guidance for use in development of project-specific proposals between the sessions. Vetting and agreement on a final framework and specific strategy with proposals for VSP, habitat effectiveness, and hatchery effectiveness monitoring in the basin is the planned outcome of the second session.

Participants. This invitation has been sent to everyone on the attached draft participant list. In addition, many of you have already been or will be contacted in person or by phone about your participation. Substitutions are not encouraged. The meeting room will be set up to accommodate the “executive” and “lead” participants with seats “at the table” – other participants are of course anticipated and welcome as observers and support and will be accommodated at work tables in the meeting room. We do not anticipate every participant being in attendance at all times (for example, “executive” participants may only be needed there in person at the beginning and towards the end of the process). Please notify us if there is a concern about your participation.

Facilitation. The Project team has secured neutral process support and facilitation services for the workshop from Oregon Consensus and Meridian Institute. Our contact information appears below. Please feel free to contact either of us if you have questions or concerns. We will also be seeking out the opportunity to speak with many of you before the workshop as time permits.

RESPONSE REQUESTED. It would be greatly appreciated if the “executive” and “lead” participants could please reply to this email with the following information:

1. Confirm your participation in the Regional Workshop;

2. Confirm who else from your agency/organization will attend and in what capacity;

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, suggestions, or if we can be of further assistance. We look forward to your response.

Regards,

Regional Workshop Facilitation Team

Turner Odell Robert Williams

Oregon Consensus Meridian Institute

503-725-8200 503-329-8523

[email protected] [email protected]