The Conservation Commission met Conservation Department headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd. , Jefferson City , Missouri . Commissioners present were:

Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Chairman
Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, Vice-Chairman
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Secretary
Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, Member

The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for Jan 23, 2004 at Marshfield , Mo.

Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must send a written request to Director, Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, or FAX 573/751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is Jan. 8, 2004 .

WORKSHOP

The Commission reviewed:

• "Boards that Make a Difference," by John Carver
• "Commission Guidebook: Understanding the Fish and Wildlife Commission's Role in Strategic Partnerships with the Agency, the Director and Stakeholders," facilitated by Dr. Dwight E. Guynn from the Management Assistance Team of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

PRESENTATIONS

The Commission:

• Received a presentation by Judith Rogers, Sharp Seed Co., about the Grow Native! program.
• Presented the 2003 Conservation Department Clerical Employee of the Year Award to Northeast Region Office Manager Corie Atchley, Novinger.
• Presented Special Achievement Awards to Construction Supervisor David M. Martz, Brookfield , and Lead Equipment Operator Forest D. Hamilton , Ridgeway.
• Presented 25-year service awards to: Bernard Brejcha, Jefferson City; Robbie Briscoe, Columbia; Gary Calvert, Defiance; Teddy Evans, Poplar Bluff; John Fleming, Savannah; Tim French, Jefferson City; George Hartman, Prairie Home; Jerry Helmig, Cross Timbers; Robert Hillhouse, Lebanon; Mark Humphrey, King City; David Kempf, Jefferson City; Lin Kozlowski, Deepwater; Jeffrey Kunce, Jefferson City; Helene Miller, Liberty; Trudy Murphy, Rocheport; Ronnie Payne, Doniphan; Dennis Rhoades, Camdenton; Robert Staton, Jr., California.

REGULATIONS :

The Commission:

• Set the 2004 Spring Turkey Hunting Season for April 19 through May 9, with a youth season of April 10 and 11.
• Approved a new rule establishing a Missouri River Shovelnose Sturgeon Commercial Harvest Permit ($500) and seasons, limits and refuge areas for commercial fishing for shovelnose sturgeon, effective July 1, 2004 .
• Approved changes to bring regulations pertaining to wildlife breeders and hunting preserve permits in line with federal regulations, allowing continued intrastate shipment of elk and deer.
• The Conservation Commission supported maintaining current chronic wasting disease monitoring requirements associated with the intra-state movement of white-tailed deer. This action applies only to animals held in Missouri and will not affect existing testing requirements, tagging/marking, record keeping, or inter-state movement requirements. As a result, additional intra-state monitoring requirements, slated for implementation in January, 2004, were found unnecessary. This decision continues to provide protection for Missouri 's free-ranging herd while allowing captive cervid facilities permitted by the department to continue under familiar regulations.

ADMINISTRATION

The Commission voted to:

• Purchase mineral rights on Whetstone Creek Conservation Area (CA) in Callaway County from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation.
• Purchase 2.08 acres with an office building and warehouse in El Dorado Springs.
• Accept a donation of 5.89 acre inholding as an addition to Red Rock Landing CA in Perry County and a 2.5-acre donation of an inholding on Kendzora CA in Platte County .
• E xchange 0.084 acres of Rockwoods Reservation in St. Louis County for 0.084 acres from adjoining landowner, to correct a boundary encroachment.
• Transfer .63 acres from Tea Access on the Bourbeues River to Gasconade County and grant the county use of .53 acres as a temporary construction easement.
• Purchase .64 acres from the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission as an addition to Angeline CA in Shannon County to improve access.
• Sell .8 acres of Atlanta CA in Macon County to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
• Suspend or revoke all hunting and fishing privileges of 17 Missouri residents and one Illinois resident for Wildlife Code violations. Those whose privileges were suspended are:

Name	Location	Penalty Length	Privileges
Jason A. Baker	Malden	2 years	all privileges
Jackie L. Banderman	Salem	3 years	all privileges
Darren L. Bland	Winona	1 year	all privileges
Eddie D. Branham	Valles Mines	3 years	all privileges
Calvin Branstetter	Galena	1 year	all privileges
Chad E. Campbell	New London	1 year	all privileges
Neil K. Creamer	Crocker	1 year	all privileges
Lee V. Herron	Steele	1 year	all privileges
William J. Knapp	Butler	1 year	all privileges
Billy R. Lewis	Long Lane	4 years	all privileges
Jason W. Mercer	Hartville	1 year	all privileges
Danny Murray	Oxly	1 year	all privileges
Jeremy R. Murray	Oxly	1 year	all privileges
Jeremy W. Ritchey	Stockton	3 years	all privileges
Jerry L. Ruggles	Worthington	1 year	all privileges
John C. Thornton	Ursa, Ill.	1 year	all privileges
Ted Wilson	Frohna	1 year	commercial fishing
Clay R. Wolff	Davisville	1 year	all privileges

• Approve the suspension or revocation of all hunting and fishing privileges of 44 Missouri residents who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
• Suspend or revoke all hunting privileges of one person for 1 year and for another person for two years for inflicting injury to other persons in firearms-related hunting incidents.
• Rescind the suspension or revocation of Missouri hunting and fishing privileges of seven Missouri residents and 155 residents of other states whose names were erroneously submitted for revocation by the State of Iowa and revoked by the Conservation Commission in November under the terms of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.

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