Fish and Wildlife Commission
Meeting Minutes & Agendas
Audio Transcripts
| Meetings of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission are tape-recorded. Portions of the recordings are excerpted below for the relevant agenda items. The commission also maintains complete recordings of all meetings. |
FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION MEETING
April 8-9, 2016
Natural Resource Building
1111 Washington Street SE Olympia, WA 98501
First Floor - Room 172
FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016
| 8:00 AM | 1. Call to Order
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| 8:15 AM | 2. Open Public Input The Commission is a direct link between the citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Comments on Department programs and topics of concern are welcome during this portion of the meeting. NOTE: During this portion of the meeting, the public is encouraged to comment on issues that do not already have public input time on the agenda. |
| 8:45 AM | 3. Director's Report The Director will brief the Commission on various items. |
| 9:15 AM | 4. Hunter Education Deferrals - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on the hunter education deferral process and seek approval to amend WAC 232-12-228 in an effort to improve rule clarity and enhance customer service. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Dave Whipple, Hunter Education Division Manager |
| 9:30 AM | 5. Land Transactions - Briefing, Public Hearing and Decision The Commission will consider approval of two land transactions recommended by the Department for the protection of critical fish and wildlife habitat, enhancement of public recreation opportunities. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (6 Mb) Staff Report: Julie Sandberg, Real Estate Section Manager PUBLIC INPUT (This item only) |
| 10:05 AM | 6. Periodic Status Review (Brown Pelican) - Briefing, Public Hearing and Decision Department staff will brief the Commission on the status of the Brown Pelican in accordance with WAC 232-12-297 and will request the amendment of WAC 232-12-014 Wildlife classified as endangered species. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (2 Mb) Staff Report: Penny Becker. Ph.D., Diversity Division Manager, Hannah Anderson, Listing and Recovery Section Manager, and Derek Stinson, Wildlife Biologist PUBLIC INPUT (This item only) |
| 10:35 AM | 7. Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations and Closures - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on the proposed updates and amendments to migratory bird hunting seasons and regulations and on an amendment to the boundary description of a closure on the Snake River. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Don Kraege, Waterfowl Section Manager |
| 10:50 AM | 8. Small Game Seasons- Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on proposed dates, bag limits, and other rules for small game and other wildlife hunting. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Mick Cope, Game Division Manager |
| 11:05 AM | 9. Bighorn Sheep Special Permits - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on proposed amendments to bighorn sheep permit levels and opportunities. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Rich Harris, Ph.D., Special Species Section Manager |
| 11:15 PM | 10. Auction Tags and Landowner Hunting Permits - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on new auction opportunities and calendar date adjustments to the landowner hunting permits seasons for 2016. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb Staff Report: Mick Cope, Game Division Manager and Rich Harris, Ph.D., Special Species Section Manager |
| 11:30 PM | 11. Deer Areas, Elk Areas, Special Closures and Firearm Restriction Areas, and Hunting by persons with a Disability - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on proposed amendments to deer and elk area descriptions, firearm restrictions in Grays Harbor County and conditions under which hunters with disabilities may shoot from a vehicle. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (751 Kb) Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager |
| 1:15 PM | 12. Possession and Importation of Dead Wildlife and Transport of Elk Hooves - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on proposed amendments to legally salvage road killed deer and elk, restrict importation and retention of dead nonresident wildlife from Michigan due to chronic wasting disease, and allow the legal transport of elk hooves to facilitate Treponema associated hoof disease research. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (624 Kb) Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager |
| 1:30 PM | 13. Baiting of Deer and Elk - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on three alternate proposals regarding the baiting of deer and elk. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (609 Kb) Staff Report: Mick Cope, Game Division Manager |
| 1:45 PM | 14. Deer General and Special Permit Seasons and Regulations - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on deer general seasons and definitions, and special permits. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager |
| 2:00 PM | 15. Elk General and Special Permit Seasons and Regulations - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on elk general seasons and definitions, and special permits. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager |
| 2:45 PM | 16. Spring Black Bear Season - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission on proposed amendments to spring black bear hunting seasons to address damage and wildlife conflict issues. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb) Staff Report: Anis Aoude, Carnivore Section Manager |
| 3:00 PM | 17. Cougar Hunting Seasons and Regulations - Decision Department staff will request approval from the Commission the proposed 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 cougar hunting seasons and regulations. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (704 Kb) Staff Report: Anis Aoude, Carnivore Section Manager |
| 3:45 PM | 18. Herbicide and Pesticide use in the Control of Japanese Eelgrass and Ghost Shrimp in Willapa Bay - Briefing Department staff and external experts will update the Fish and Wildlife Commission on the historical and current use of imazamox to control invasive Japanese eelgrass and imidacloprid to control native ghost shrimp in Willapa Bay. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (141 Kb) Staff Report: David Price, Habitat Program, Restoration Division Manager, Dan Ayers, Fish Program, Coastal Shellfish Manager, Heather Bartlett, Ecology Water Quality Program Manager and Kim Patten, Extension Professor and Pacific County Extension Director, Washington State University Additional Public Comment Miscellaneous Meeting Debrief |
| 4:45 PM | Recess |
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016
| 8:00 AM | 19. Open Public Input The Commission is a direct link between the citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Comments on Department programs and topics of concern are welcome during this portion of the meeting. NOTE: During this portion of the meeting, the public is encouraged to comment on issues that do not already have public input time on the agenda. |
| 8:30 AM | 20. Results of the 2015 Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Fishery - Briefing Department staff will provide the Commission an annual briefing summarizing the Puget Sound crab fishery as stipulated per policy (Policy C3609). This briefing will summarize the performance and harvest of both commercial and recreational fisheries during the 2015 season and regulation compliance data collected by enforcement and fishery management staff. A recreational and commercial fishery panel will provide comments following the presentation. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (21 Kb) Staff Report: Rich Childers, Puget Sound Shellfish Manager and Mike Cenci, Deputy Chief of Enforcement Panel Representatives: Ron Garner and Gordon Rue, Puget Sound Anglers and Brian Allison and Ken Crews, Puget Sound Crab Association |
| 10:15 AM | 21. Results of the 2015 Puget Sound Shrimp Fishery - Briefing Department staff will provide the Commission an annual briefing summarizing the Puget Sound shrimp fishery as stipulated per policy (Policy C3610). This briefing will summarize for each management region the performance and harvest of both commercial and recreational fisheries during the 2015 season. - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (20 Kb) Staff Report: Rich Childers, Puget Sound Shellfish Manager |
| 10:45 AM | ** This item was postponed ** 22. Management Objectives for Salmon and Steelhead - Briefing - Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (20 Kb) Staff Report: Jim Scott, Special Assistant to the Director |
| 11:30 AM | ** There was no debrief at this meeting ** 23. Miscellaneous and Meeting Debrief |
| 12:00 PM | Adjourn |
Contact the Fish and Wildlife Commission Office for further information:
Phone 360-902-2267
Email: commission@dfw.wa.gov
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