The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission holds regular webinars, web conferences, and in-person meetings around the state. Additional special meetings and web conferences may be scheduled as needed. These meetings are open to the public, are recorded, and live-streamed. Agendas, meeting materials, and audio/video are posted within 24 hours of the meetings. Written minutes, along with the recording, constitute the full minutes.
The Commission runs by a "Rules of Procedure" document. This document discusses appointments, responsibilities, operating principles, parliamentary procedures, public input and other topics relevant to the functions of the Commission. An updated version of the document was approved on August 6, 2021. Appendix 4, "Committee Roster" was updated on March 16, 2023 and can be accessed here.
Looking for Commission meeting materials on a particular subject? Use the search tool to find meeting agendas, PDFs, and other documents in our archive.
The Commission uses a Year-at-a-Glance for agenda planning purposes. This is available to the public at any time and is updated regularly. You can find it on the debrief portion of Commission agenda or can be checked anytime.
Upcoming meetings
2023
Written minutes, along with the recording, constitute the full minutes.
Testifying at Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission encourages public participation by providing opportunities to comment in person, online, or by submitting written comments electronically.
At each scheduled webinar and hybrid public meeting, the Commission typically provides time on the agenda for members of the public to provide verbal comments. These may include both Open Public Input as well as testimony on specific agenda items. Note: Times listed for the beginning of an agenda item are estimates only, and agenda items may be taken out of order.
How to register
Please register online when the agenda is posted on the Commission's webpage by filling out the form and selecting the agenda item number you plan to comment on. You must sign up separately for each item you wish to speak to. In addition, in-person attendees may sign up at the reception desk the day of the meeting.
Deadlines for registration
If you are interested in providing public comment during a webinar or hybrid meeting, the following registration deadlines are in effect:
- In-person: Registration closes 15 minutes before Open Public Input and 15 minutes prior to any individual agenda items that have a public comment period.
- Virtual: You must sign up by 5 p.m. the day before each meeting begins.
If, for some reason, you are unable to participate you can submit your comments on the Commission contact page.
Other Considerations
- Registrants will be called upon and typically have three minutes to speak, unless the allotted time is modified by the Chair at the onset of the agenda item.
- State your name and county of residence for the record, and whether you are representing yourself, or a group or organization.
- If you are commenting virtually, you will be recognized by your partial phone number or your Zoom username, and staff will unmute your connection.
- The Open Public Input agenda item is designed for matters not on the agenda with specific public comment periods. Those testifying on other agenda items during the Open Public Input agenda item will be requested to hold their testimony until that particular agenda item.
- Arrive early to hear the pertinent presentation and review information.
- Testimony time cannot be given to another speaker.
- Testimony is not an interactive session; Commissioners considering public comments will not respond to questions or engage in a running dialogue with members of the audience. However, Commissioners may pose questions of clarification to those who testify.
- It is effective to limit your comments to new issues. If you agree with points made by previous speakers, simply say so, and focus your comments on new information or your unique perspective.
- Constituents who provide comments during the open public comment period on Friday are discouraged from commenting on the same issue on Saturday’s open public comment period.
- Verbal and written comments provided after rule making and SEPA comment period closures are discouraged. Comments provided after the official hearing or APA-designated public comment period may not be considered or included in the formal record.
- At times, due to agenda constraints and overwhelming public response, the Commission may be unable to hear from every person signed up to speak. In most cases, the Commission will specify a deadline by which people can submit their thoughts in writing.
- If there is not a public comment opportunity you can submit written comment prior to the meeting by the deadline specified below under the section “written comment.”
Written Comments
Please reference the agenda item or subject when submitting either email or mail comments.
Written comments provided after rulemaking and SEPA comment period closures are discouraged. Comments provided after the official hearing or APA-designated public comment period may not be considered or included in the formal record.
If you wish to provide written comment to the Commission at an upcoming meeting, it needs to be received by 8 a.m. on the Thursday before the Commission meeting so that Commissioners have time to review them before the meeting starts. Any written public comment received during the Commission meeting will be distributed the following Monday to Commissioners so they can concentrate on the Commission meeting content. Further, the Commission may establish alternative public comment deadlines for specific topics/specific meetings, which will be noticed on their agendas.
Written comments can be emailed to commission@dfw.wa.gov, or sent by postal mail to:
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
Post Office Box 43200
Olympia, WA 98504-3
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 833-855-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov.