COMMISSIONERS' DISCUSSION:
Commissioners will discuss recent activities and items of general interest and provide status reports on Commission committees.

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

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. We encourage you to share your views of Department programs and issues which concern you during this portion of the meeting. (NOTE: This time is set aside for those who cannot be present later in the day. If workable, please provide your comments during time allotted for specific agenda items or during Open Public Input session later in the day.)

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

1. BUDGET UPDATE:
Department staff will provide a status report on the Department's current biennial budget.

Staff Report: Jim Lux

2. PROPOSED LAND TRANSACTIONS:
The Commission will consider approval of numerous proposed land transactions.

Staff Report: Dan Budd

3. PACIFIC SALMON AND WILDLIFE: ECOLOGICAL CONTEXTS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT -- BRIEFING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on the report entitled Pacific Salmon and Wildlife: Ecological Contexts, Relationships, and Implications for Management.

Staff Report: David Johnson

- WAC 232-28-02203, Game Management Units (GMUs)--Special Game Areas--Boundary Descriptions--Region Three;
- WAC 232-28-02204, Game Management Units (GMUs)--Special Game Areas--Boundary Descriptions--Region Four; and
- WAC 232-28-02206, Game Management Units (GMUs)--Special Game Areas--Boundary Descriptions--Region Six.

Staff Report: John Musser

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

5. ESTABLISHMENT OF 2001 PLWMA DEER AND ELK SEASONS:

The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 232-28-271, Private Lands Wildlife Management Area Hunting Seasons, Rules and Boundary Descriptions. This amendment would establish the hunting seasons and permit levels for 2001 for all PLWMAs and update PLWMA boundary descriptions.

Staff Report: John Musser

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

6. AMENDMENT TO 2001/ESTABLISHMENT OF 2002 AND 2003 BIG GAME AND WILD TURKEY AUCTION PERMITS AND RAFFLE SEASONS:
The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 232-28-277, 2001 Big Game and Wild Turkey Auction Permits and Raffles. This amendment would modify 2001 and establish 2002 and 2003 auction permits and raffle seasons.

Staff Report: Donny Martorello and John Musser

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

7. ESTABLISHMENT OF 2001 AND 2002 BLACK BEAR SPECIAL PERMIT SEASONS AND QUOTAS:
The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 232-28-275, 2000 Black Bear Special Permit Season and Quotas, to establish the 2001 and 2002 spring permit seasons and quotas for black bear in the Blue Mountains.

Staff Report: Donny Martorello

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

8. AMENDMENT TO SPECIAL HUNTING SEASONS:
The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 232-28-260, Special Hunting Seasons, to eliminate the hunting license requirement for applying for special hunting seasons for black bear and eliminate special hunting season language for cougar.

Staff Report: Donny Martorello

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

9. POLICY ISSUES FOR 2001 PURSE SEINE FISHERY FOR SARDINES -- BRIEFING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on a set of draft management measures for the 2001 purse seine fishery for sardines. (Public input on and Commission consideration of adoption of the final management measures and the proposed 2001 purse seine sardine fishery will occur at the February 9-10, 2001 Commission meeting.)

Staff Report: Phil Anderson and Michele Robinson

10. ADOPTION OF COLUMBIA RIVER SMELT (EULACHON) POLICY:
The Commission will consider adoption of the Columbia River Smelt (Eulachon) Policy. The Policy will form the basis of a Eulachon Management Plan, which will provide Department staff with more specific guidance for harvest management, stock assessment, and habitat management activities for Columbia River smelt.

Staff Report: Bill Tweit and John DeVore

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. We encourage you to share your views of Department programs and issues which concern you during this portion of the meeting. (NOTE: This time is set aside for only those issues notidentified as an agenda item for this meeting.)

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

11. IMPLEMENTATION OF INITIATIVE 713 -- BRIEFING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on the effect of Initiative 713 and on the alternatives available to the Department in complying with the Initiative.

Staff Report: Bruce Bjork and John Broome

12. AMENDMENT TO PUGET SOUND CRUSTACEAN MANAGEMENT REGIONS:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules:

- WAC 220-052-051, Shrimp Fishery--Puget Sound (Section [2] only), to remove the descriptions of Puget Sound Crustacean Management Regions; and
- WAC 220-16-260, Geographical Definitions--Skagit Bay Shrimp Fishing Area, to insert the descriptions of Puget Sound Crustacean Management Regions.

Staff Report: Jay Odell

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

13. AMENDMENT TO SHELLFISH HARVEST LOGS:
The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 220-52-075, Shellfish Harvest Logs (Section [9] only), to require shrimp fishers to report fisher names, pot pulls, and to allow them to make initial reports based on estimated weights.

Staff Report: Jay Odell

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

14. AMENDMENTS TO PUGET SOUND COMMERCIAL SHRIMP RULES:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules:

- WAC 220-52-051, Shrimp Fishery--Puget Sound (Sections [3] and [4] only), to make housekeeping changes that incorporate certain previously existing rule provisions that were inadvertently omitted from the rules when commercial shrimp pots and beam trawl fisheries transitioned from emerging to limited entry status; and
- WAC 220-16-270, Geographical Definitions--Skagit River, to add a seasonal shrimp trawl fishery depth restriction of two weeks in the Gulf of Georgia during the last half of July to better protect soft shell crabs.

Staff Report: Jay Odell

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

15. AMENDMENTS TO PUGET SOUND COMMERCIAL CRAB RULES:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules to establish closed areas, reopen areas formerly closed, and set pot limits:

- WAC 220-52-040, Commercial Crab Fishery--Lawful and Unlawful Gear, Methods, and Other Unlawful Acts; and
- WAC 220-52-046, Crab Fishery--Seasons and Areas.

Staff Report: Jay Odell

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

16. AMENDMENT TO HERRING PURSE SEINE FISHERY:
The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 220-49-020, Herring and Anchovy--Seasons--Lawful Gear--Purposes, to close the commercial purse seine fishery for herring and anchovy in Marine Fish/Shellfish Areas 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, and 29.

Staff Report: Greg Bargmann

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

17. AMENDMENTS TO COMMERCIAL OCTOPUS FISHERY RULES:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules to close directed octopus harvest taken under shellfish pot license:

- WAC 220-52-063, Octopus Fishery; and
- WAC 220-52-075, Shellfish Harvest Logs (introductory paragraph and Section [7] only).

Staff Report: Morris Barker

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

18. AMENDMENT TO REMOVE SEASONAL CLOSURE FOR REGISTERED AQUATIC FARMS:
The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 220-52-020, Clams--Puget Sound--Seasons and Areas, to remove the set seasonal closure for shellfish toxins affecting commercial shellfish harvest.

Staff Report: Morris Barker

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

19. ADOPTION OF BOTTOMFISH TRAWL CLOSURE:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules to restrict trawl fishing in all coastal state waters and Area 29 to protect inshore rockfish stocks:

- WAC 220-44-030, Coastal Bottomfish Gear; and
- WAC 220-48-015, Beam Trawl and Bottom Trawl--Seasons.

Staff Report: Morris Barker

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

Staff Report: Ross Fuller and Pat Michael

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. We encourage you to share your views of Department programs and issues which concern you during this portion of the meeting. (NOTE: This time is set aside for only those issues not identified as an agenda item for this meeting.)

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

21. APPROVAL OF COMMISSION MINUTES:
The Commission will review and consider approval of the Minutes of numerous Commission meetings, workshop, and conference calls.

MISCELLANEOUS AND MEETING DEBRIEF:
The Commission will discuss items that arise immediately before or during the meeting but after the preliminary agenda is published.