The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is accepting public comment on proposed rule changes that would affect the state's commercial Dungeness crab fishery, including new electronic vessel monitoring requirements aimed at reducing whale entanglement risk.

Comments will be accepted through July 24. The proposals will then go before the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission during its Aug. 14 meeting in Salem, where the public may also provide testimony in person or remotely.

According to ODFW, the proposed commercial crab rules would strengthen the state's approach to reducing whale entanglement risk by establishing an electronic vessel monitoring requirement for commercial crab vessels, adding criteria and guidelines for approving experimental fishing gear permits, and making a minor modification to commercial crab surface gear allowances.

The rule package follows Oregon's ongoing efforts to develop conservation measures as the state works through the federal Endangered Species Act incidental take permit process for the Dungeness crab fishery.

ODFW also announced that, beginning with the August Commission meeting, public comments on rulemaking proposals must be submitted three weeks before Commission meetings. The department said the earlier deadline is intended to give staff more time to review and incorporate public feedback while allowing commissioners additional time to consider comments before taking action.

In addition to the commercial crab proposals, the Commission will consider rules establishing trap check requirements for bear and cougar traps used by landowners or their agents to address property damage, public nuisance issues or threats to public safety. The proposed rules would require traps to be checked and animals removed at least once every other calendar day, not exceeding 56 hours.

Additional information on the proposals, public comment process and the Aug. 14 Commission meeting is available on ODFW's rulemaking webpage.