December 9, 2016 meeting transcript

Fish and Wildlife Commission

Meeting Minutes & Agendas

Audio Transcripts

FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION MEETING
December 9-10, 2016

NOTE: This meeting will be broadcast via webcast through TVW at tvw.org

Natural Resource Building
1111 Washington Street SE Olympia, WA 98501

First Floor - Room 172

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

8:00 AM 1. Call to Order

Download MP3 File

  1. Commissioners' Discussion
  2. Meeting Minute Approval
8:15 AM 2. Open Public Input

Download MP3 File

The Commission is a direct link between the citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Comments on Department programs and topics of concern are welcome during this portion of the meeting. 

NOTE: During this portion of the meeting, the public is encouraged to comment on issues that do not already have public input time on the agenda.

8:45 AM 3. Director's Report

Download MP3 File

The Director will brief the Commission on various items.

- Director's Report - PDF Format (319 Kb)

9:15 AM 4. Land Transactions - Briefing, Public Hearing and Decision

Download MP3 File

The Commission will consider approval of various land transactions recommended by the Department for the protection of critical fish and wildlife habitat, enhancement of public recreation opportunities.

- Summary - PDF Format (3 Mb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (3 Mb)

Staff Report: Julie Sandberg, Real Estate Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

10:00 AM 5. North of Falcon Policy C-3608 - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File

Department staff will provide a briefing of the Commission's North of Falcon Policy C-3608 (currently in effect through December 31, 2016) and propose modifications for the Commission's consideration of a January, 2017 through December, 2018 policy.

- Summary - PDF Format (781 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (796 Kb)

Staff Report: Kyle Adicks, Intergovernmental Salmon Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)
10:40 AM 6. Charter Stamps Rule - Decision

Download MP3 File

Department staff will request approval from the Commission on rules needed to clarify the obligations of fishing guides and charter-boat operators in their use of charter stamps, helping to provide a clear process and identifying penalties.

- Summary - PDF Format (781 Kb)

Staff Report:  Deputy Chief, Mike Cenci

10:50 AM 7. Classifying Three Species of King Crab to Combat Illegal, Unreported, or Unregulated Fisheries (IUU) - Decision

Download MP3 File

Department staff will request approval from the Commission on rules needed to enable Enforcement officers to better regulate illegal importation of King Crab into Washington.

- Summary - PDF Format (693 Kb)

Staff Report:  Deputy Chief, Mike Cenci

11:00 AM 8. Enforcement Program Update - Briefing

Download MP3 File

Regions 2 and 3 Enforcement Program staff will provide an overview of how they have focused on the agency goals through achieving the program's strategic objectives and list detailed accomplishments.

- Summary - PDF Format (672 Kb)
- Presentation Region 2 - PDF Format (10 Mb)
- Presentation Region 3 - PDF Format (5 Mb)

Staff Report: Sergeant Mike Jewell and Captain Bob Weaver, Enforcement Program

1:00 PM 9. WDFW Research Priorities - Briefing

Download MP3 File

Department staff will provide a briefing on science divisions and selected research projects currently underway throughout the agency.

- Summary - PDF Format (443 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (12Mb)

Staff Report:  Mara Zimmerman, Fish Program, Senior Research Scientist, George Wilhere, Habitat Program, Senior Research Scientist, Phillip Dionne, Habitat Program, Research Scientist and Scott Pearson, Wildlife Program, Senior Research Scientist

2:30 PM 10. Periodic Status Review of Listed Species (Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, American White Pelican, Marbled Murrelet, and Lynx) - Decision

Download MP3 File

Department staff will seek approval from the Commission on Periodic Status Reviews compiled for the state listed species referenced above.

- Summary - PDF Format (679 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (4 Mb)
- Status Review for Bald Eagle - PDF Format (826 Kb)
- Status Review for Lynx - PDF Format (1 Mb)
- Status Review for Marbled Murrelet - PDF Format (1 Mb)
- Status Review for Peregrine Falcon - PDF Format (1 Mb)
- Status Review for White Pelican - PDF Format ( 2 Mb)

Staff Report: Hannah Anderson, Listing and Recovery Section Manage

2:45 PM 11. Draft Policy on Improving the Conservation of Washington's Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources  - Briefing, Discussion and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File

Department staff will brief the Commission on National (Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America's Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources) and Washington State efforts (Washington Wildlife Leaders Forum) seeking additional capacity and funding to conserve species and habitats of greatest conservation need and connect people with nature. 

- Draft Policy - PDF Format (72 Kb)
- Summary - PDF Format (76 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format ( 2 Mb)

Staff Report:  Penny Becker, Diversity Division Manager; Amy Windrope, Ecosystem Services Division Manager; and Jennifer Quan, Government Affairs Director

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

3:30 PM 12. Forage Fish and Commercial Smelt Fishery Update - Briefing

Download MP3 File

Department staff will brief the Commission on abundance trends of forage fish particularly for herring and sand lance, and the geographic significance by area for spawning capacity. Staff will also provide the Commission a briefing on the commercial smelt fisheries status since regulation changes were implemented in June 2014.

- Summary - PDF Format (542 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (1 Mb)

Staff Report: Dayv Lowry, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Fish Program

4:00 PM 13. 2017 - 18 Sportfishing Regulation Proposals - Decision

Download MP3 File

Department staff will seek approval from the Commission on proposals for the upcoming Sportfishing rules and regulations 2017-18 season.

- Summary - PDF Format (502 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (358 Kb)

Staff Report: Craig Burley, Fish Management Division Manager, Rich Childers, Puget Sound Shellfish Manager, and Dayv Lowry, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Fish Program

4:30 PM 14. Open Public Input

Download MP3 File

The Commission is a direct link between the citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Comments on Department programs and topics of concern are welcome during this portion of the meeting.

 NOTE: During this portion of the meeting, the public is encouraged to comment on issues that do not already have public input time on the agenda

5:00 PM Recess

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

8:00 AM 15. Open Public Input

Download MP3 File

The Commission is a direct link between the citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Comments on Department programs and topics of concern are welcome during this portion of the meeting. 

NOTE: During this portion of the meeting, the public is encouraged to comment on issues that do not already have public input time on the agenda.

8:30 AM 16. Pacific Salmon Treaty - Briefing

Download MP3 File

A briefing will be provided on the composition, authorities and responsibilities of the Pacific Salmon Commission; the process for resolving competing issues; how the utilization and conservation interests are balanced; how the process responds to the interests of Washington State; and the key issues being addressed this year.

- Summary - PDF Format (74 Kb)
- Presentation - PDF Format (832 Kb)

Staff Report: Jim Scott, Special Assistant and Phil Anderson, U.S. Chair, Pacific Salmon Commission

9:45 AM 17. Commission Budget Policy - Discussion, Public Hearing and Decision

Download MP3 File

The Commission will discuss the 2017-19 budget policy and hear public input before making a decision on the final policy.

- Draft Policy - PDF Format (289 Kb)

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

10:15 AM 18. Columbia River Basin Salmon Management Policy C-3620 - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File

Department staff will brief the Commission on performance of fisheries managed under the Policy through the transition period, including preliminary results for 2016 fisheries, and seek preliminary guidance on potential adaptive management measures for the future.

- Summary - PDF Format (666 Kb)
- Department Presentation - PDF Format 516 Kb)
- Commercial Panel Presentation - PDF Format (736 Kb)
- Recreational Panel Presentation - PDF Format (2 Mb)

Staff Report: Ron Warren, Fish Program Assistant Director and Ron Roler, Columbia River Policy Coordinator - Commercial and Recreational Panels

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

1:15 PM 19. Miscellaneous and Meeting Debrief

Download MP3 File

The Commission will discuss items that arise immediately before or during the meeting and after the preliminary agenda is published.
1:30 PM Adjourn


Contact the Fish and Wildlife Commission Office for further information:
Phone 360-902-2267
Email: commission@dfw.wa.gov


Persons with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the public meeting are invited to contact Dolores Noyes by phone (360-902-2349), TTY (360-902-2207), or email (dolores.noyes@dfw.wa.govl). Reasonable accommodation requests should be received at least three (3) business days prior to the meeting to ensure availability. Please provide two (2) weeks' notice for requests for ASL/ESL interpretation services. For more information, see the requests for accommodation page.