Virgil Moore, the new Director of the Department of Fish & Game

At our June 15 Idaho Environmental Forum we will hear from Virgil Moore, the new director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Fish and Game is a state agency that can trace its origins back to a citizen ballot initiative, enacted by popular vote in 1938. Idaho Fish and Game is led by a professional selected by a Commission that, in theory, is supposed to be insulated from politics. But we all know better. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and its director, more often than not is found at the confluence of politics, law, science, economics, and social preferences. The professional management at Idaho Fish and Game must steer the proverbial vessel through these cross currents. And given Idaho’s unmatched fish and wildlife resources in the lower 48 states, the stakes are very high.

Virgil Moore takes the helm of the agency at a time when the US Congress has taken the historic action of placing management of the Rocky Mountain grey wolf back into the hands of state management. Wolf management gets the headlines but Idaho Fish and Game faces many challenging issues. A couple of examples: brokering the conflicting opinions and desires of big game hunters who either want to use an off-road vehicle as an aid to hunting versus those hunters who hate off road vehicles. Another example is engaging the typical family who has little time for the outdoors and kids who are so preoccupied with gadgets that keep them indoors. In fact, between year 2000 and 2010 resident fishing license sales were flat.

Virgil was appointed director of Idaho Fish and Game on March 31 by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission. He replaces Cal Groen who retired after serving as director for four years. Prior to his recent appointment, Virgil served as deputy director for field operations at Fish and Game. He held this position since 2007 after returning to Idaho after serving as director for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Prior to the work in Oregon Virgil spent much of his career as an employee at Idaho Fish and Game, including numerous executive management positions within Idaho Fish and Game, including fisheries bureau chief, information and education bureau chief and various management positions within the fisheries bureau.

Moore holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and education from Northwest Missouri State University and a Master of Science degree in zoology from Idaho State University.