August 3-4, 2012 Minutes

MEETING MINUTES
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WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE
COMMISSION MEETING
August 3-4, 2012

Natural Resources Building - First Floor, Room 172
1111 Washington Street, Olympia, Washington

ATTENDANCE:
Commission
Public
Miranda Wecker, Chair
Joe Verdoes, Puget Sound Shrimp Fishermen
Gary Douvia, Vice Chair
Tom Davis, Washington Farm Bureau
Larry Carpenter
Jim Detro, Okanogan County
David Jennings
David Graves, National Parks Conservation Association
Jay Kehne
JT Austin, House Republican Caucus
Conrad Mahnken
Bobbie Thorniley, WWC, HHC, WSTA
Chuck Perry
Linda Saunders, Wolfhaven International
Rolland Schmitten
Diane Dallegos, Wolfhaven International
 
Guy Thornburgh
Commission Staff:
Bruce Roe
Tami Lininger
David Knutzen
Erin Gariépy
  
 
  
Department Staff
 
Phil Anderson, Director
  
Joe Stohr, Deputy Director
  
Joseph Shorin, AG
  
William Frymire, AG
  
Dennis Beich
  
Bill Joplin
  
David Giglio
  
Owen Rowe
  
Bill Phillips
  
Ann Larson
  
Dan Budd
  
Don Kraege
  
Donny Martorello0
  
Rich
Childers
  
Pat Pattillo
  
Gary Wiles
  
Dave Price
  
Mike Cenci, Deputy Chief
  
Steve Vigg
  
and other Department staff
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  

FRIDAY, August 3, 2012

Chair Wecker called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m.

1. Call to Order:

  1. Commissioners’ Discussion
    • Chair Wecker, Commissioners Schmitten & Carpenter expressed regrets in the passing of Guy ‘Butch’ McMinds
    • Sockeye fishing
    • Range Riders
    • Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies meeting
  2. 2013 Meeting Calendar

2. Open Public Input:
The following members of the public gave public testimony:
Joe Verdoes – Commission appointments
Tom Davis, Washington Farm Bureau - wildlife interactions

3. Director's Report:
The Director and Staff briefed the Commission on various items including:

  • Guy McMinds
  • Outreach
  • Lands acquisitions/holdings and public access
  • WWRP critical habitat projects
  • Wolf update
  • Annual co-manager meeting with Puget Sound Treaty Tribes
  • Columbia River gillnetting
  • Performance agreement
  • Strategic Plan/Business Plan, presented by Joe Stohr
  • Revenue Update, presented by Bill Joplin

4.  2013 – 2015 Proposed Operating Budget Request - Briefing 
Owen Rowe, Budget Officer, Technology and Financial Management, briefed the Commission and answered questions about the agency’s 2013 – 2015 budget proposals.

5. Proposed Final 2013 – 2015 Capital Budget Request – Briefing
Bill Phillips, Assistant Director, Capital and Asset Management Program, briefed the Commission and answered questions about the agency’s proposed 2013-2015 Capital Budget request.

6. 2013 Legislative Proposals - Briefing
Ann Larson, Legislative Liaison, briefed the Commission and answered questions about the agency’s 2013 legislative proposals.

7.  Proposed Land Transactions – Decision
The Commission considered approval of various land transactions presented by Dan Budd, Real Estate Section Manager, Wildlife Program, for the protection of critical fish and wildlife habitat, enhancement of public recreation opportunities and responsible property management:

Proposed Acquisition of 40 acres in Okanogan County
Proposed Acquisition of 373.35 acres in Okanogan County
Proposed Dike Easement in Skagit County
Proposed Acquisition of 6.3 acre Fishing Access in Okanogan County

Public Input – The following people signed up to provide public input:
Jim DeTro, Okanogan County Commissioner
Guy Thornburg

Commissioner Jennings moved, seconded by Commissioner Schmitten to approve the proposed acquisition of 40 acres in Okanogan County, acquisition of 373.35 acres in Okanogan County,  Dike Easement in Skagit County, acquisition of 6.3 acre Fishing Access in Okanogan County as presented.  Motion passed unanimously.

8. Game Reserves & Waterfowl Closures – Rule Briefing, Public Hearing and Rule Action
Don Kraege, Waterfowl Section Manager, briefed the Commission on Game Reserves and Waterfowl Closures and sought approval to amend WAC 232-16-440.

Commissioner Douvia moved, seconded by Commissioner Perry to amend WAC 232-16-440, Toppenish Creek Game Reserve, as proposed.  Motion passed.  Commissioner Jennings opposed.  

9.  Migratory Waterfowl Seasons and Regulations – Rule Briefing, Public Hearing and Rule Action
Don Kraege, Waterfowl Section Manager, Wildlife Program, briefed the Commission on Migratory Waterfowl Seasons and Regulations and sought approval to:

Adopt - WAC 232-28-436 2012-13 Migratory waterfowl seasons and regulations. 
Repeal - WAC 232-28-435 2011-12 Migratory waterfowl seasons and regulations.

No one signed up to provide public input.

Commissioner Douvia moved, seconded by Commissioner Schmitten to adopt WAC 232-28-436 and repeal WAC 232-28-435 as proposed.  Motion passed unanimously.

10. Auction, Raffle and Special Incentive Permits – Rule Briefing and Public Hearing
Donny Martorello, Ph.D., Carnivore, Furbearer, and Special Species Section Manager, briefed the Commission on various auction, raffle and special incentive permits.

No one signed up to provide public input.

11.  Puget Sound Shrimp Policy Review – Briefing
Rich Childers, Puget Sound Shellfish Manager, continued briefing and sought guidance from the Commission on the process to review and update the Puget Sound shrimp fishery policy C-3610.   The Commission had no objections to the proposed timeline or options.

12. Executive Session
Pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i), the Commission met in executive session to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the agency is, or is likely to become, a party. 

No action was taken in executive session, and the public was not permitted to attend the executive session. 

Chair Wecker recessed the meeting at 5:42 pm.


SATURDAY, August 4, 2012

Chair Wecker called the meeting back to order at 8:31 am.

13. Open Public Input:
No one signed up to provide public testimony.

14. Killer Whale Listing and Management – Briefing
Pat Pattillo, Special Assistant to the Director, Gary Wiles, Biologist, Wildlife Program and Deputy Chief Mike Cenci, provided an overview of the key issues involved with the Killer Whale management process and discussed the potential implications of the scientific review process to the management of fisheries, Chinook salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales.

15.  DFW’s Role in the Lower Columbia River MOA – Estuary Restoration – Briefing
Dave Price, Restoration Division Manager, Habitat Program provided an overview of the Lower Columbia Estuary and an update on associated restoration projects.

16. Upper Columbia River Fisheries Enforcement – Briefing
Deputy Chief Mike Cenci and Captain Murray Schlenker took the Commission on a visual tour of the accomplishments in fisheries protection and related challenges and discussed the law enforcement partnerships and efforts.

17. Commission Committee Reports
Postponed

18. Miscellaneous and Meeting Debrief

  • Commissioner Perry moved, seconded by Commissioner Carpenter to request a commission level discussion led by staff about the possible funding mechanism for long term operation and maintenance for WDFW Lands.  Motion passed unanimously.

  • Commissioner Jennings moved, seconded by Commissioner Kehne to request a briefing on WDFW’s role in Puget Sound Action agenda, including Near Term Actions (NTAS) and their associated performance measure and discuss grants and work successes with EPA Cooperative Agreement.  Motion passed unanimously.

  • Commissioner Jennings moved, seconded by Commissioner Perry to request a presentation on performance measures, tracking system, key measures associated with strategic plan and GMAP measures reported to the Governor.  Motion passed unanimously.

Chair Wecker adjourned the meeting at 11:53 am.

  • Commission input on Budget and Legislative issues
  • Briefing on previous staffing study
  • The Commission discussed the following requests to the department (blue sheets).