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Speech Before the Olympia Chamber of Commerce
Director, Jeffrey P. Koenings
July 22, 1999Good Morning! Again, I am Dr. Jeff Koenings, the new Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Actually, after nearly 7 months of on the job training and with some of the significant steps forward that the Department has made, for example, in our financial status, I should say that I am pleased to be the Director of the new Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Thank you for this opportunity to address the Chamber of Commerce. This is an opportune time to do so as I feel the Department of Fish and Wildlife, or more importantly the critters we manage for the people of the state, are and will continue to be a resource of significance to the economic well-being of coastal and interior communities throughout the state.
Before I describe my views on the present and future beneficial economic impact of fish and wildlife populations, I would like to briefly review my professional background and how that has shaped my management philosophy.
I received my formal training in resource science and, in particular, the science of fish management from the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina receiving degrees in fisheries, water quality, and natural resources. This equipped me with a great science background to practice the science of fish management. Science is used by good resource management agencies to decide how to conserve the resources for future generations, yet at the same time provide for a sustained yield. Conservation comes first and here science is the compass.
My first job was with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, a fishery management agency much like the Department of Fish and Wildlife here in Washington. As my career evolved, I learned the other side (some say the dark side) of fisheries management, and that was and still is, the policy arena where the language of fish politics is spoken and understood. I learned this side of fisheries management in the "college of hard knocks" or as some would say the "school of low blows". These discussions usually involve the allocation of a sustainable yield or who gets to harvest what fish when and where.
Good resource management agencies have to balance the good science necessary to guide resource conservation decisions with the need to allocate the resource fairly between both consumptive and non-consumptive users in the face of changing social, political and economic conditions. Yes, in the face of a constantly changing landscape. Examples of a changing landscape -- court decisions (Boldt, Rafeedie, and Buchanan) and the recent listings under the ESA are a few familiar to all of you.
I contend that to achieve the goals in both worlds -- conservation and allocation, you are managing people. So you manage fisheries or the act of fishing, for example, in order to properly manage fish populations. Managing fisheries involves managing people and unfortunately we sometimes forget that in trying to manage fish populations.
Thus, the departments mission remains as a firm commitment to the sound stewardship of fish and wildlife. Sound stewardship includes the diligence to preserve and restore fully functioning ecosystems; this is a must do, as healthy habitats mean healthy animals.
What is the link between fulfilling the department's mission of sound stewardship through science-based management for sustained yield and economic benefits from fish and wildlife?
Let me try to explain the link through some examples:
The City of Westport in Grays Harbor County once called itself the "Salmon Fishing Capital of the World" not unlike Olympia calling itself the "political Capital of Washington". Twenty-five years ago 330 charter boats home ported in Westport, today less than two dozen or about 6% struggle to survive as small independent businesses. Ocean sport fishing days have dropped 95% in the same time period. With the decline of the salmon populations and the lack of fishers, other small businesses disappeared -- gas stations, boat and motor repair shops, bait shops, restaurants to name a few. Things got so bad that in 1994, there was no fishing season for chinook or coho off the beaches of Westport. Further south in Oregon, the coho fishery has been completely shut down since 1993 similarly devastating the coastal communities.
Despite the loss of fishing opportunities and the resultant economic impact to cities like Westport, fishers operating throughout Washington remain optimistic –
- 550,000 anglers spend over 2.7 million angler trips each year. Their purchases of fuel, gear, special clothing, food, and lodging generates up to $270 million dollars to local communities.
- The related job and businesses in small communities that support recreational fisheries multiply this economic value.
- Commercial fisheries have an average landed value of $12 million with similar economic multipliers.
- About 1 million anglers participate in inland fisheries generating over 10 million angler trips which generate over $275 million in trip expenditures alone.
- Shellfish populations contribute a value of about $100 million a year and generate 800,000 recreational trips each year.
Together, this totals $600 million/year in direct expenditures without the secondary economic multipliers. To that add the large contribution fishers make to the $2.5 billion boating industry here in Washington.
This illustrates some, and just some, of the value of traditional uses of our fish resources. We as a state also need to consider the untapped potential of non-traditional uses of our fish and wildlife. On the wildlife side of the Department, consider what is called "Watchable Wildlife".
- Overall, wildlife watching activities generate some $1.7 billion annually in Washington. Money gladly spent for food, lodging, transportation, land-use fees, equipment, etc.
- This economic value exceeds that of the livestock industry, the fruit, nut and berry crops, and was second only to the 1.9 billion value of all field crops in Washington. By this measure alone, Watchable Wildlife is a top commodity in Washington.
- Wildlife viewing is second only to Boeing in the number of jobs it supports in Washington. The over 21,000 jobs attributed to wildlife viewing compares to the 28,000 jobs for Boeing (this comparison is prior to the recent downsizing of Boeing) both of which far exceed the next two largest employers, Microsoft and Swedish Health Services.
- Wildlife viewing generated $427 million in job income, $57 million in state and $67 million in federal tax revenues in Washington.
This existing economic value has been largely self-generated as the department has had minimal dollars to develop these opportunities in Washington. Given the diversity of the fish and wildlife resources within this state as well as the many habitat types, the potential future for this industry is staggering. So to is the potential positive economic benefit to rural communities where animal populations are their healthiest.
So watching wildlife is our business and watching wildlife is our future. Recognition of this comes from Grays Harbor County, location of the City of Westport mentioned earlier -- the county has established the "Discover the Wild Side" of Grays Harbor County. The City of Westport is not abandoning its traditional recreational and commercial fishers, indeed that industry has begun to turn around as selective fishing opportunities have increased this season. However, the county has produced a guide to the watchable wildlife opportunities within the county. Another example comes from Walla Walla County in Southeast Washington which has promoted Bird Watching in their area complete with birding locations, best viewing times, and the many birds to be seen.
In summary, dollars and days spent for watching wildlife as well as for hunting and fishing provide hard evidence for support of conservation of natural resources within the state. The dollars spent by these recreationists have tangible, measurable impacts on Washington communities that supply goods and services to these consumptive and non-consumptive users. The bottom line is that by protecting and enhancing our wildlife and their habitats, which is the department's mission, Washington communities can be assured of sustaining the economic opportunities associated with the diverse fish and wildlife resources of this great state.
Thank you.
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