Department of Fish & Wildlife Director Shuffle

By Randall Bonner

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Roy Elicker’s resignation will become effective Oct. 10 as he begins working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as assistant regional director for fishery resources for the USFWS Pacific Region based in Portland.

Elicker, who has been ODFW’s director since 2007, started with ODFW in 1993 as a watershed health program coordinator. During his time working for the state, he has been a fish screening program manager, fish division deputy administrator, legislative coordinator, and deputy director for Fish and Wildlife Programs. Elicker will assume his new position with USFWS on Oct. 12. He will be responsible for daily operations of U.S. Fish and Wildlife fisheries programs in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii.

The ODFW Commission appointed Curt Melcher as the interim director for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Melcher has 27 years of experience with ODFW and served as the fish division assistant administrator for the Columbia River and Marine Programs before acting as the deputy director for Fish and Wildlife Programs. Melcher’s new position took effect Oct. 1, and he will continue to serve as interim director until the commission appoints a permanent director.