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. ESTABLISHMENT OF 2002 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 permits levels for 2002 for all PLWMAs and update PLWMA boundary descriptions.

Staff Report: Dave Ware

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

2. ADOPTION OF COUGAR DOG-TRAINING RULE:

The Commission will consider adoption of WAC 232-12-245, Cougar Dog-Training, to allow the use of dogs to pursue cougar for the purposes of training dogs and to modify the behavior of cougar to improve public safety.

Staff Report: John Broome and Donny Martorello

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

3. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICINE CREEK TREATY HUNTING BOUNDARY:

The Commission will consider adoption of WAC 232-12-253, Tribal Hunting--Medicine Creek Treaty Hunters--Agreed-to Hunting Boundary. This rule would clarify the southern boundary of the lands ceded under the Treaty of Medicine Creek for purposes of setting tribal hunting seasons.

Staff Report: Jeff Koenings and Phil Anderson

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

4. AMENDMENT TO COASTAL SPOT SHRIMP TRAWL RULES:

The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules to convert ocean spot shrimp trawl permits to ocean spot shrimp pot permits:

- WAC 220-88B-030, Emerging Commercial Fishery--Eligibility for Coastal Experimental Fishery Permits--Terms and Conditions of Use--Renewal;
- WAC 220-88B-040, Coastal Spot Shrimp Pot Experimental Fishery--Season and Gear--Species Restriction; and
- WAC 220-88B-050, Coastal Spot Shrimp Trawl Experimental Fishery--Season and Gear--Trawl Gear Restriction-Pot Gear Restriction--Species Restriction.

Staff Report: Lisa Veneroso

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

5. AMENDMENTS TO PROHIBIT DRIFT GILLNETS AND LANDINGS OF THRESHER SHARK:

The Commission will consider adoption of the following rule proposals to prohibit the use of drift gillnets off Washington and prohibit landings of thresher shark into Washington:

- WAC 220-44-035, Coastal Pelagic Gear; and
- Permanent amendment to WAC 220-44-050, Coastal Bottomfish Catch Limits.

Staff Report: Michele Robinson and Phil Anderson

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

6. ADOPTION OF COLUMBIA RIVER SPRING CHINOOK ALLOCATION POLICY:

The Commission will consider adoption of the proposed Columbia River Spring Chinook Allocation Policy. This policy will provide guidance to the Department on allocation of harvest opportunity between commercial and recreational sectors.

Staff Report: Bill Tweit and Cindy LeFleur

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 a decision item for this meeting.)

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 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)

7. BUDGET UPDATE:

Department staff will provide a status report on the Department's current biennial budget.

Staff Report: Jim Lux

8. LAKE AND STREAM REHABILITATION POLICY UPDATE -- BRIEFING:

Department staff will brief the Commission on the status of a revised Lake and Stream Rehabilitation Policy.

Staff Report: Bob Gibbons

9. ADOPTION OF AQUACULTURE DISEASE CONTROL RULES:

The Commission will consider adoption of the following rule proposals for aquaculture disease control to refine inspection and quarantine procedures:

- Permanent amendment to WAC 220-77-010, Intent;
- Permanent amendment to WAC 220-77-020, Definitions--Aquaculture Disease Control;
- Permanent amendment to WAC 220-77-030, Finfish Aquaculture Disease Control;
- Permanent amendment to WAC 220-77-070, Aquaculture Disease Control--Emergency Provisions;
- Permanent amendment to WAC 220-77-080, Aquaculture Fee Schedule;
- WAC 220-77-095, Aquaculture Facility Inspection Authority; and
- WAC 220-77-100, Recordkeeping.

Staff Report: Andy Appleby

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

10. AMENDMENT TO PUGET SOUND COMMERCIAL SHRIMP RULES:

The Commission will consider adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 220-52-051, Shrimp Fishery--Puget Sound, to modify the provisions for alternate operators and provide for license stacking on shrimp pot vessels.

Staff Report: Morris Barker

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

11. ADOPTION OF SEA CUCUMBER AND SEA URCHIN LICENSE REDUCTION RULES:

The Commission will consider adoption of the following rule proposals to reduce the number of sea cucumber and sea urchin licenses:

- WAC 220-95-100, Sea Urchin License Reduction Program; and
- WAC 220-95-110, Sea Cucumber License Reduction Program.

Staff Report: Morris Barker

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

12. AMENDMENT TO COMMERCIAL CARP RULES:

The Commission will consider the following action to uniformly manage the carp fishery statewide:

- Adoption of a permanent amendment to WAC 220-20-020, General Provisions--Lawful and Unlawful Acts--Food Fish Other Than Salmon; and
- Repeal of WAC 220-33-050, Carp.

Staff Report: Steve Jackson

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

13. AMENDMENT TO BALD EAGLE PROTECTION RULES:

The Department will consider adoption of permanent amendments to the following rules:

- WAC 232-12-292, Bald Eagle Protection Rules, to update and include sensitive species;
- WAC 232-12-297, Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive Wildlife Species Classification, to delete requirement for two public meetings; and
- WAC 232-12-011, Wildlife Classified as Protected Shall Not Be Hunted or Fished, to change the bald eagle from a threatened to a sensitive species.

Staff Report: Harriet Allen

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)

14. 2002-2003 SPORTFISH RULE PROPOSALS:

Department staff will brief the Commission and the public on 2002-2003 sportfish rule proposal highlights. (Note: This is for discussion and public input purposes only. The Commission will table consideration of adoption of the rule proposals until the February 8-9, 2002 Commission meeting; no additional public input will be accepted at that meeting.)

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 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)

MISCELLANEOUS AND MEETING DEBRIEF:

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