Minutes WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

ATTENDANCE:
Commission	Public
Will Roehl, Chair	Jeff McKean, Puget Sound Crab Assoc.
Ron Ozment, Vice Chair	Ralph Turner
Russ Cahill	Andrea Kozil, The Humane Society of the U.S.
John A. Hunter	Joe Williams, Washingtonians for Wildlife
Lisa Pelly	Toby Thaler, WA Forest Law Center
Fred Shiosaki	Nedra Reed, Mayor, City of Forks
Bob Tuck	Pat Mansfield, City of Forks
Van Van Gytenbeek	Glen Christensen, Resources Coalition
	Candace Christensen, Resources Coalition
Commission Staff:	Rob Kavanaugh
Susan Yeager	Harry C. Wilson, Resources Coalition
	Graham Willmore, WA Prospectors Mining Assoc.
Department	Nina Carter, Audubon Washington
Jeff Koenings, Director	Corey Freeman, NSIA
Larry Peck, Deputy Director	David Weekes
Jim Lux	John Floberg
Tom Davis	Bill Robinson
Mike Cheney	Milt Gudgell
Elizabeth Rodrick	Martha Jordan, The Trumpeter Swan Society
George Wilhere	Ralph Munro
Erik Neatherlin	Karen Munro
John Mankowski	Bruce Beatty, Small Scale Prospectors
Jane Banyard	Betty Beatty, Small Scale Prospectors
Morris Barker	Vincent Baker
Margaret Tudor	Dorsey Moody, Puget Sound Crab Assoc.
Lora Leschner	Angela Springer, The Campbell Group
Mike Smith	Darvin Ecklund
Donny Martorello
Richard Stone
Harriet Allen
Lew Atkins
Mary Lou Mills
Dave Ware
Jerry Nelson
Phil Anderson
Other Department staff

FRIDAY, MARCH 12:

Chair Roehl called the workshop to order at 1:03 p.m.

COMMISSIONERS' DISCUSSION:
Commissioners discussed recent activities and items of general interest and provided status reports on Commission committees.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT:
Director Koenings reviewed significant Department issues and activities.

BUDGET UPDATE / LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:
Jim Lux and Tom Davis provided status reports on the Department's budget and legislative issues.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
Mike Cheney provided an overview of and status report on the Department's performance measures.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
Ten individuals provided oral testimony on issues of concern during this portion of the workshop.

PUGET TROUGH ECOREGIONAL ASSESSMENT RESULTS - BRIEFING:
Elizabeth Rodrick, George Wilhere, and Erik Neatherlin briefed the Commission on the results of the Puget Trough Ecoregional Assessment.

PROPOSED LAND TRANSACTIONS:
Dan Budd presented several proposed land transactions for consideration of approval.

Commissioner Cahill moved, seconded by Commissioner Ozment, to approve the following land transactions:

- Acquisition of the 39.91-acre Waldron property in Okanogan County for $37,000;
- Acceptance of an easement at Lake Wilderness, City of Maple Valley, in King County;
- Sale of the 2,538 square feet of right of way along Washington Avenue in Yakima to the City of Yakima for $5,300;
- Sale of the 9.8-acre Squalicum Creek property in Whatcom County to the City of Bellingham for $32,000; and
- Sale of the 16.81-acre Spaight Creek Ponds property in King County to: (a) 5 acres to King County Fire Protection District #44 for $27,500; and (b) 11.81 acres to the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe for $65,000.

The motion to approve the land transactions carried unanimously.

PACIFIC EDUCATION INSTITUTE - BRIEFING:
Margaret Tudor briefed the Commission on the function and activities of the Pacific Education Institute, which is a non-profit organization.

SWAN POPULATIONS AND LEAD SHOT MORTALITY - BRIEFING:
At the request of the Commission, Lora Leschner and Mike Smith briefed the Commission on swan populations in northwestern Washington State and lower British Columbia, including the status of research on lead poisoning-related mortalities.

Martha Jordan, The Trumpeter Swan Society, had intended to speak to the Commission on this issue during Open Public Input at the end of the day. Commissioners and staff asked that she be involved in the discussion during this time.

SHELLFISH DISEASE CONTROL PROTECTIONS - RULE BRIEFING:
Morris Barker briefed the Commission on proposed rule amendments that would provide a greater degree of protection to the wild and cultured oyster stocks in Washington's waters from Denman Island Disease and Japanese oyster drills. The Commission will consider final adoption of rule amendments at its April 2-3, 2004, Commission meeting in Spokane.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
No oral testimony on issues of concern was received during this portion of the workshop.

Chair Roehl recessed the workshop at 7:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13:

Chair Roehl called the workshop back to order at 8:33 a.m.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
Seven individuals provided oral testimony on issues of concern during this portion of the workshop.

SPRING BEAR SEASON DAMAGE HUNT - POSSIBLE PILOT PROGRAM - BRIEFING:
Donny Martorello and Angela Stringer (The Campbell Group) briefed the Commission on the possibility of a pilot spring bear season to address timber damage. The Commission will consider taking action on a proposal at its December 3-4, 2004, Commission meeting in southwest Washington.

BIG GAME AND WILD TURKEY AUCTION, RAFFLE, AND SPECIAL INCENTIVE PERMITS - RULE BRIEFING:
Donny Martorello briefed the Commission on possible amendments to the big game and wild turkey auction, raffle, and special incentive permits. The Commission will consider final adoption of rule amendments at its April 2-3, 2004, Commission meeting in Spokane.

MODIFICATIONS TO GMU 368 BOUNDARY - RULE BRIEFING:
Richard Stone briefed the Commission on possible adjustments to the boundary of Game Management Unit 368 to include Tract C of the Yakama Indian Reservation. The Commission will consider final adoption of rule amendments at its April 2-3, 2004, Commission meeting in Spokane.

FALL 2004 HUNTING SEASON RULES - RULE BRIEFING:
Dave Ware and Jerry Nelson briefed the Commission on 2004 fall hunting season issues. The Commission will consider final adoption of rule amendments at its April 2-3, 2004, Commission meeting in Spokane.

INTEGRATION OF HYDRAULICS AND FOREST PRACTICES PERMITS IN NON-FISHING BEARING STREAMS - RULE BRIEFING:
John Mankowski and Jane Banyard briefed the Commission on the integration of hydraulics and forest practices permits in non-fish bearing streams. The Commission will consider final adoption of rule amendments at its June 4-5, 2004, Commission workshop in Olympia.

UPDATE ON PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERIES IN WASHINGTON - BRIEFING:
Phil Anderson briefed the Commission on the changes to the Catch Sharing Plan for 2004, provided an update on halibut bycatch in the groundfish trawl fisheries, and reviewed the proposed season structure for the recreational halibut fisheries.

NORTH OF FALCON - BRIEFING:
Phil Anderson briefed the Commission on the status of the North of Falcon process, which included a description of the 2004 management challenges and significant changes that are under discussion and consideration.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
This agenda item was removed since minutes were not available for approval by the Commission.

SUMMARY OF COMMISSION REQUESTS TO THE DEPARTMENT:
The Commission reviewed and updated the Summary of Commission Requests to the Department.

STATUS REPORT OF KILLER WHALES IN WASHINGTON STATE - BRIEFING:
Harriet Allen briefed the Commission on the Washington State Status Report for the Killer Whale. The Commission will consider approval of listing the killer whale as an endangered species at its April 2-3, 2004, meeting in Spokane.

MISCELLANEOUS AND WORKSHOP DEBRIEF:
The Commission discussed items that arose immediately before or during the workshop but after the preliminary agenda was published.

Commissioner Van Gytenbeek moved, seconded by Commissioner Cahill, to request the Department coordinate a briefing by the SeaDoc Society, The Nature Conservancy, and the NW Straits Commission on the current science and progress for placing MPAs in northern Puget Sound. The briefing would occur at the Commission's October 1-2, 2004, Commission workshop. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
One individual provided oral testimony on issues of concern during this portion of the workshop.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:
The Commission met in Executive Session from 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. to discuss current and/or potential litigation. No public was allowed to attend the Executive Session. No further action was taken in public session.

Chair Roehl adjourned the workshop at 2:40 p.m.

Commissioners in Attendance:
Will Roehl, Chair
Ron Ozment, Vice Chair
Russ Cahill
John A. Hunter
Lisa Pelly
Fred Shiosaki
Bob Tuck
Van Van Gytenbeek

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