WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE     Print Version
NEWS RELEASE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

SPOKANE -- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission heard the last of public comment on 1998-99 proposed sportfishing rules at their meeting here today, including pleas to consider impacts of restrictions on youth fishing and business.

The commission will decide sportfishing rules, without further public input, at their next scheduled meeting Jan. 23-24 in LaConner. The rules will take effect May 1, 1998.

The commission, which meets at various locations across the state throughout the year, is the nine-member board appointed by the governor to oversee the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

The sportfishing proposal that drew the most comment at the Spokane meeting, both pro and con, was a statewide barbless hook requirement for all fishing to improve chances of successfully releasing protected fish. Fishers asked the commission to avoid making overly simple rules without gaining fish conservation.

Other proposals addressed were dropping a catch-and-release requirement on sea-run cutthroat trout in some marine areas; closing portions of some waters and restricting fishing gear in response to recent Endangered Species Act listings of steelhead in the upper Columbia and Snake river systems; closing some marine areas to address over-harvest from urban beaches and popular dive spots; and an allowance for filleting warmwater fish and marine bottomfish in the field.

In other business, the commission reduced tag fees for hunting black bears, from $18 to $15, and cougars, from $24 to $5. The reduction was made to stimulate hunter purchase of the tags to be able to harvest bears and cougars while hunting for other species. The move is meant to offset the anticipated decrease in bear and cougar harvest since baiting and hunting with hounds were banned by voter initiative last year. The state legislature gave the commission authority to make tag fee changes earlier this year.

The commission adopted rules for trapping seasons including equipment requirements for humane trapping of game animals and protection of domestic animals and people, and a requirement to check non-killing traps more frequently (every 48 instead of 72 hours.)

The commission also:

• approved the sale of surplus salmon carcasses and eggs produced in volunteer cooperative projects by the volunteers, (if WDFW cannot sell them), to cover project expenses;