ATTENDANCE:
Commission	Public
Lisa Pelly, Chair	Rod Peterson, WA Duck Hunters
Kelly White, Vice Chairman	Ken Packard, WA Duck Hunters
Russ Cahill	Brian Watson, WA Duck Hunters
Don Heinicke	Bob Burkle, Soundstream Ranch
John McGlenn	Dave Patterson, WA Duck Hunters
Will Roehl	Eric Sims, WA Duck Hunters
Bob Tuck	Ron Shultz, National Audubon Society
Commission Staff	Scott Henrie
Debbie Nelson	Mike Westad, Safari Club International
Department	Jack Gooch, Safari Club International
Larry Peck, Acting Director	Tim Cullinan, National Audubon Society
Dan Budd	Ron Brewer, WA Duck Hunters
Pat Chapman	John Arrabito, WA Duck Hunters
Harriet Allen	Pat Shearer, WA Duck Hunters
Paul Mongillo	Randy Carman
Bill Frymire	Neil Richard
Betty Buckley	Larry Wasserman, Skagit System Coop.
Brian Edie	Frank Urabeck
Bob Everitt	Bob Mowrey
Lyle Nelson	Bob Sund
Mike Kuttel	Shari Stoican, Puget Sound Anglers
Don Kraege	Jim Bevan
Elyse Kane	Bill Eickmeyer, Natural Resources Committee
John Garrett	Peter Eichstedt, The Olympian
Other Department Staff	Jerry Alt, Department of Transportation
	Bobbie Thorniley, Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation
	Ted Walh
	Vernon Young, Fed. of Fly Fishers
	Chris Drivdahl, Governor's Salmon Team
	Ed Owens, Coalition of Coastal Fishers
	Charles Pruett
	Elsa Gruber
	Patrick Cagney, Corps of Engineers
	Ray Crisp, WA State Archery Assn.
	Dan Stearns, WA Duck Hunters
	Dan Stark, Department of Health
	Bob Hansath, Department of Health
	Jacques White, People for Puget Sound
	Kyle Winton, WA State Archery Assn.
	John Sayer, Northwest Chinook Recovery
	Julie Thompson, WA Forest Protection Assn.
	Bruce Sexauer, Corps of Engineers
	David Jennings, Black Hills Audubon
	Lanny Carpenter, Puget So. Gillnetters Assn.
	Art Kendall, WA Duck Hunters
	Jim Hamlin, Department of Health
	Rich Greenshields, Department of Health
	Bob Heckman
	John Klochak, Skagit System Coop.

Chair Pelly called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m.

COMMISSIONERS' DISCUSSION:

Commissioners discussed recent activities and items of general interest.

TRI-STATE COMMISSION MEETING:

Chair Pelly reported on the recent meeting of Commissioners from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

PROPOSED LAND TRANSACTIONS:

Dan Budd presented the Department's recommendation of approval of numerous land transactions.

Commissioner Roehl moved, seconded by Commissioner McGlenn, to approve the following land transactions:

• Acquisition of the 440-acre Paterson property at the Methow Wildlife Area in Okanogan County for $696,000;
• Acquisition of the 21.78-acre Christensen property at Big Beef Creek in Kitsap County for $170,000;
• Sale of the surplus .6-acre Department property in Paterson in Benton County for $5,000;
• Acceptance of the long-term agreement with the Darigold Company, the easement from the Land Conservancy of Seattle and King County, and the franchise agreement from the City of Issaquah for a new water line for the Issaquah Hatchery in King County;
• Grant a request from Wayne Spillers for a .21-acre easement for road and utility at Gloyd Seeps in Grant County for $1,000;
• Grant a request from Lakehaven Utility District for a .17-acre utility easement at North Lake in King County for $1,000;
• Grant a request from the Department of Transportation for a .71 acre easement for right-of-way at the Sauk River Access Area in Skagit County for $1,400; and
• Grant a request from the Department of Transportation for a .20-acre easement for right-of-way at the Voights Creek Hatchery in Pierce County for $2,580.

COMMISSION COMMITTEES:

The Commission reviewed and approved the proposed mission statements and annual goals and objectives for the Wildlife, Enforcement, Habitat and Lands, Fish, and Finance and Operations committees.

UPDATE ON MINERAL PROSPECTING RULE DEVELOPMENT:

Pat Chapman briefed the Commission on the progress of rule development for mineral prospecting. The briefing included the status of the public workshops held around the state

and identified significant issues arising at those workshops.

The Commission will consider adoption of the rule proposals at the December 4-5 Commission meeting.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENTAL
MILESTONES - PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:

Jerry Alb, Director of Environmental Services for the Department of Transportation (DOT), reviewed four years of DOT's environmental initiatives related to stormwater, fish passage, flood management, capital budget coordination, the Wetland Strategic Plan and Implementation program, advanced mitigation planning, NEPA National Pilot - FHWA, Snohomish Pilot Project - FHWA National Initiative, and programmatic permitting - ESA.

STATEWIDE SALMON RECOVERY STRATEGY:

Chris Drivdahl, Salmon Team Leader for the Governor's Salmon Recovery Office, presented a brief overview of the Statewide Salmon Recovery Strategy.

ACTING DIRECTOR'S REPORT:

Acting Director Peck reviewed significant Department issues and activities since the September 11, 1998 Commission meeting.

LISTING OF FISHER AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES:

Harriet Allen presented the Department's recommended adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 232-12-014, Wildlife Classified as Endangered Species. This amendment would add the fisher to endangered species classification in Washington. She also presented the Department's recommendation that the Commission further amend WAC 232-12-011 (see next agenda item) to remove the fisher from the listing of sensitive species.

Two individuals provided oral testimony on the rule proposal during the meeting.

Commissioner Roehl moved, seconded by Commissioner Cahill, to adopt the permanent amendment to WAC 232-12-014, Wildlife Classified as Endangered Species. The motion carried unanimously.

LISTING OF MARGINED SCULPIN AND PYGMY
WHITEFISH AS SENSITIVE SPECIES:

Paul Mongillo presented the Department's final recommendation of adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 232-12-011, Wildlife Classified as Protected Shall Not Be Hunted or Fished. This amendment would add the margined sculpin and the pygmy whitefish to protected wildlife designated as sensitive species in Washington. This amendment would also remove the fisher from the list of sensitive species.

No oral testimony on the rule proposal was received during the meeting.

Commissioner McGlenn moved, seconded by Commissioner White, to adopt the permanent amendment to WAC 232-12-011, Wildlife Classified as Protected Shall Not Be Hunted or Fished, as filed with the Code Reviser's Office and amended by staff. The motion carried unanimously.

BUDGET UPDATE:

Acting Director Peck and Jim Lux provided a status report on the Department's current biennial budget.

ESTABLISHMENT OF TEMPORARY THREE-MONTH LICENSE/
AMENDMENT TO STURGEON LIMIT FOR THREE-MONTH PERIOD:

Betty Buckley presented the Department's final recommendation of adoption of the following rule proposals:

• WAC 220-55-20000A, Temporary Three-Month License: This rule would establish an "interim hunting and fishing license" for use during the period January 1 through March 31, 1999.
• Permanent amendment to WAC 220-56-240, Daily Limits Sturgeon, Smelt, Herring and Other Food Fish Not Otherwise Provided For: This amendment would establish a limit of two sturgeon for the period January 1 through March 31, 1999.

No oral testimony on the rule proposals was received during the meeting.

Commissioner Cahill moved, seconded by Commissioner Roehl, to adopt WAC 220-55-20000A, Interim Hunting and Fishing License, and the permanent amendment to WAC 220-56-240, Daily Limits Sturgeon, Smelt, Herring and Other Food Fish Not Otherwise Provided For, as filed with the Code Reviser's Office and amended by staff. The motion carried unanimously.

DEEPWATER SLOUGH:

Bob Everitt, Brenda Kane, and John Garrett presented the Department's recommendation of adoption of Alternative 9 as the alternative for implementation in regards to the Deepwater Slough Restoration Project on the Skagit Wildlife Area farmed island segment.

Alternative 3 would breech dikes upstream and downstream and is considered the full inundation option. It would provide the most habitat benefits for fish, and an additional 400+ acres would be opened to tidal influence and provide the described fish habitat. It has the greatest impact on dabbling ducks (81 percent decrease due to loss of wintering habitat). Less than 50 acres could be put into cereal grains.

Alternative 9 would retain 165 acres of existing fields in grain production. Reinforced/new dikes would be configured to protect these fields and open wetland areas to tidal and river flows. It would provide additional passage for adult salmon to upstream spawning areas by opening a diked slough. An additional 250+ acres of blind channel, subsidiary channel and intertidal marsh would be created to provide rearing and over-wintering habitat for juvenile salmon.

Twenty-one individuals provided oral testimony on the proposed alternative during the meeting.

Commissioner Cahill moved, seconded by Commissioner Tuck, to recognize and adopt Alternative 3 as the alternative for implementation in regards to the Deepwater Slough Restoration Project on the Skagit Wildlife Area farmed island segment. The motion failed.

Commissioner Heinicke moved, seconded by Commissioner White, to recognize Alternative 9 as the alternative for implementation in regards to the Deepwater Slough Restoration Project on the Skagit Wildlife Area farmed island segment. The motion carried.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:

Four individuals provided oral testimony on issues of concern.

Chair Pelly adjourned the meeting at 10:05 p.m.

dpn

Approval of Proposed Land Transactions	Motion by Roehl, second by McGlenn, to approve the following land transactions: Acquisition of the 440-acre Paterson property at the Methow Wildlife Area in Okanogan County for $696,000; Acquisition of the 21.78-acre Christensen property at Big Beef Creek in Kitsap County for $170,000; Sale of the surplus .6-acre Department property in Paterson in Benton County for $5,000; Acceptance of the long-term agreement with the Darigold Company, the easement from the Land Conservancy of Seattle and King County, and the franchise agreement from the City of Issaquah for a new water line for the Issaquah Hatchery in King County; Grant a request from Wayne Spillers for a .21-acre easement for road and utility at Gloyd Seeps in Grant County for $1,000; Grant a request from Lakehaven Utility District for a .17-acre utility easement at North Lake in King County for $1,000; Grant a request from the Department of Transportation for a .71 acre easement for right-of-way at the Sauk River Access Area in Skagit County for $1,400; and Grant a request from the Department of Transportation for a .20-acre easement for right-of-way at the Voights Creek Hatchery in Pierce County for $2,580. The motion carried unanimously.
Listing of Fisher as an Endangered Species	Motion by Roehl, second by Cahill, to adopt the permanent amendment to WAC 232-12-014, Wildlife Classified as Endangered Species. The motion carried unanimously.
Listing of Margined Sculpin and Pygmy Whitefish as Sensitive Species	Motion by McGlenn, second by White, to adopt the permanent amendment to WAC 232-12-011, Wildlife Classified as Protected Shall Not Be Hunted or Fished, as filed with the Code Reviser's Office and amended by staff. The motion carried unanimously.
Establishment of Temp. Three-Month License/ Amendment to Sturgeon Limit	Motion by Cahill, second by Roehl, to adopt WAC 220-55-20000A, Interim Hunting and Fishing License, and the permanent amendment to WAC 220-56-240, Daily Limits Sturgeon, Smelt, Herring and Other Food Fish Not Otherwise Provided For, as filed with the Code Reviser's Office and amended by staff. The motion carried unanimously.
Deepwater Slough	Motion by Cahill, second by Tuck, to recognize and adopt Alternative 3 as the alternative for implementation in regards to the Deepwater Slough Restoration Project on the Skagit Wildlife Area farmed island segment. The motion failed. Motion by Heinicke, second by White, to recognize Alternative 9 as the alternative for implementation in regards to the Deepwater Slough Restoration Project on the Skagit Wildlife Area farmed island segment. The motion carried.

Commissioners in Attendance:

Lisa Pelly, Chair
Kelly White, Vice Chairman
Russ Cahill
Don Heinicke
John McGlenn
Will Roehl
Bob Tuck