MEETING MINUTES

FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION WORKSHOP
November 9-10, 2001
Natural Resources Building
Room 172
1111 Washington Street S.E.
Olympia, Washington

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9:

Chair Cahill called the workshop to order at 1:00 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.

COWLITZ TRIBAL BRIEFING:

John Barnett, Stephen Dow Beckham, and Dennis Whittlesey from the Cowlitz Indian Tribe briefed the Commission on the interests of the Tribe as they relate to the proposed Medicine Creek Treaty Area.

The Cowlitz Indian Tribe wants to work with State and Cowlitz County officials to develop reasonable guidelines for development.

Commissioner Roehl said that the Commission is not able to respond at this time.

Public input and Commission consideration of adoption of the Medicine Creek treaty hunting boundary will occur at the December 7-8, 2001 Commission meeting in Vancouver.

BUDGET UPDATE:

Jim Lux provided a status report on the Department's current biennial budget.

As requested by the Commission, the Department will include estimates/actuals for the preceding 3-6 months in future budget updates.

PROPOSED LAND TRANSACTIONS:

Dan Budd presented the Department's request for Commission approval of numerous proposed land transactions.

Commissioner Roehl moved, seconded by Commissioner White, to approve the following:

The motion to approve the proposed land transactions carried unanimously. (Commissioner Tuck was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.)

COMMERCIAL CARP RULES -- BRIEFING:

Steve Jackson briefed the Commission on rule proposals to effectively manage the commercial carp fishery statewide. Public input and Commission consideration of adoption of the final rule proposals will occur at the December 7-8, 2001 Commission meeting in Vancouver.

RULE DEVELOPMENT TO IMPLEMENT SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1499 -- UPDATE:

Andy Appleby presented an update of rule negotiations for SSHB 1499 for marine fin fish aquaculture prior to submission to the 2002 Legislature.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SENATE BILL 5531, PUGET SOUND SHRIMP LICENSES -- BRIEFING:

Morris Barker briefed the Commission on the implementation of SB 5531 which modifies the provisions for alternate operators and provides license stacking on shrimp pot vessels. Public input and Commission consideration of adoption of the final rule proposals will occur at the December 7-8, 2001 Commission meeting in Vancouver.

SEA URCHIN/SEA CUCUMBER LICENSE REDUCTION RULES -- BRIEFING:

Morris Barker briefed the Commission on proposed license reduction rules for the commercial sea urchin and sea cucumber fisheries. Public input and Commission consideration of adoption of the final rule proposals will occur at the December 7-8, 2001 Commission meeting in Vancouver.

CATCH RECORD CARD COMPLIANCE -- BRIEFING:

Morris Barker and Mike Cenci briefed the Commission on the short- and long-term issues for compliance and return rates for catch record cards.

ENFORCING SELECTIVE SALMON RULES AND OVERVIEW OF STATEWIDE MARINE UNIT -- BRIEFING:

Bruce Bjork, Mike Cenci, John Erickson, Don Makoviney, and Dan Brinson briefed the Commission on the Department's efforts to obtain compliance with state law related to selective salmon fishing in coastal and Puget Sound waters and provided an overview of the newly formulated Statewide Marine Unit.

Chair Cahill recessed the workshop at 5:20 p.m.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10:

The Commission met in Executive Session to discuss current and/or potential litigation and to review the performance of a public employee.

Chair Cahill called the workshop back to order at 10:00 a.m.

2002 COMMISSION MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS:

The Commission selected the following dates and locations for its 2002 meetings and workshops:

COLUMBIA RIVER SPRING CHINOOK NON-TREATY HARVEST POLICY -- BRIEFING:

Cindy LeFleur and Phil Anderson briefed the Commission on a draft policy regarding the Columbia River spring chinook non-treaty harvest issue. Public input on and Commission consideration of adoption of a Columbia River spring chinook allocation policy will occur at the December 7-8, 2001 Commission meeting in Vancouver.

CONVERSION OF OCEAN SPOT SHRIMP TRAWL PERMITS TO POT LIMITS -- BRIEFING:

Lisa Veneroso briefed the Commission on possible rule changes needed to convert ocean spot shrimp permits to ocean spot shrimp pot permits. Public input on and Commission consideration of adoption of the final rule proposals will occur at the December 7-8, 2001 Commission meeting in Vancouver.

INVITED INFORMAL DISCUSSION:

The Commission met with Dave Billingsley, a grazing cooperator from Palisades, for an informal discussion on the Coordinated Resource Management Plan.

Director Koenings sent a letter on November 1, 2001 to the Douglas County Cattlemen's Association explaining that the Department is fully committed to the Coordinated Resource Management Plan process.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Commissioner Shiosaki moved, seconded by Commissioner Reynolds, to approve the Minutes of the following:

The motion to approve the Minutes carried unanimously.

COMMISSION REQUESTS TO THE DEPARTMENT:

The Commission reviewed the Summary of Commission Requests to the Department and considered future requests.

Commissioners requested the Director to ascertain if the Department had received a response to his September 18, 2001 letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding Harold Saunders' discrimination complaint.

The Department is to brief the Commission at the December 7-8, 2001 meeting on the status of an earlier request to work with existing hound hunter organizations to develop a definition of "hound hunter" for public safety cougar removals.

Chair Cahill moved, seconded by Commissioner Roehl, to request that the Department evaluate the potential of trading Olympia property to a developer for a turn-key facility for the Department's Olympia operations, and potential cost savings of moving from the Natural Resources Building. The Department is to present its findings at the April 2002 Commission meeting. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.

REGIONAL FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT GROUP (RFEG) PROGRAM -- BRIEFING:

Tim Smith and Terry Wright, Wendy Scherrer, Neil Warner and Paula Mackrow (RFEG Program participants) briefed the Commission on the role of the Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Program, accomplishments of the 14 individual groups, and the relationship between the RFEG Program and the Department.

APPROVAL OF DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED GENERAL FUND-STATE EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS AND REVENUE OPTIONS:

Director Koenings, Deputy Director Peck, and Jim Lux presented the Department's proposed 2001-03 operating budget reductions (General Fund-State) and revenue generating package for Commission approval.

No oral testimony on the proposed 2001-03 operating budget reductions and revenue generating package was received during the meeting.

Commissioner Roehl moved, seconded by Commissioner Van Gytenbeek, to approve the proposed 2001-03 operating budget reductions (General Fund-State) and revenue generating proposal.

Commissioner Pelly moved, seconded by Commissioner Van Gytenbeek, to amend the motion to delete the second freshwater fishing pole fee from the revenue generating proposal. The motion to amend the motion carried unanimously. (Commissioner Reynolds was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.)

The motion, as amended, carried unanimously. (Commissioner Reynolds was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.)

MISCELLANEOUS AND WORKSHOP DEBRIEF:

The Commission discussed items that arose immediately before or during the workshop but after the agenda was published.

Having received Commission concurrence, Chair Cahill will appoint Chantal Stevens, Executive Director of People for Salmon, to the Transportation Permit Efficiency and Accountability Committee to represent the Commission and statewide salmon recovery interests. She will keep the Commission apprised of developments as the process continues.

Chair Cahill adjourned the workshop at 3:50 p.m.

MEMOS AND AUTHORITIES FROM THE NOVEMBER 9-10, 2001
FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION WORKSHOP, OLYMPIA

* Commissioner Tuck was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.
** Commissioner Reynolds was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.

Commissioners in Attendance: