March 18, 2016 meeting transcript

Fish and Wildlife Commission

Meeting Minutes & Agendas

Audio Transcripts

Meetings of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission are tape-recorded. 
Portions of the recordings are excerpted below for the relevant agenda items.
The commission also maintains complete recordings of all meetings.

FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION MEETING
March 18-19, 2016

Moses Lake Civic Center
401 S Balsam Moses Lake, Washington 98837

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016

8:00 AM 1. Call to Order

Download MP3 File [2.9 MB]

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

Download MP3 File [10.9 MB]

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 [12.7 MB]

The Director will brief the Commission on various items.

- Director's Report (PDF) - PDF Format 168 Kb)

9:15 AM 4. Conservation and Sustainable Fisheries Plan - Briefing

Download MP3 File [24.4 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on actions taken in the lower Columbia River to implement the Hatchery and Fishery Reform Policy C-3619.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (494 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

Staff Report: Cindy Le Fleur, Region 5 Fish Program Manager and Pat Frazier, Region 5 Policy Coordinator

10:15 AM 5. Hunter Education Deferrals - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on the hunter education deferral process and seek approval to amend WAC 232-12-228 in an effort to improve rule clarity and enhance customer service.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (27 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb)

Staff Report:  Dave Whipple, Hunter Education Division Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only

10:35 AM 6. Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations and Closures - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on the proposed updates and amendments to migratory bird hunting seasons and regulations and on an amendment to the boundary description of a closure on the Snake River.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (31 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

Staff Report: Don Kraege, Waterfowl Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only

11:05 AM 7. Small Game Seasons- Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed dates, bag limits, and other rules for small game and other wildlife hunting.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (25 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

Staff Report: Mick Cope, Game Division Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

11:20 AM 8. Bighorn Sheep Special Permits - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to bighorn sheep permit levels and opportunities.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (27 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

Staff Report: Rich Harris, Ph.D., Special Species Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

11:40 AM 9. Auction Tags and Landowner Hunting Permits - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on new auction opportunities and calendar date adjustments to the landowner hunting permit seasons for 2016. 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (28 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (943 Kb)

Staff Report:  Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager and Rich Harris, Ph.D., Special Species Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

1:00 PM 10. Deer Areas, Elk Areas, Special Closures and Firearm Restriction Areas, and Hunting by persons with a Disability - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File [8.7 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to deer and elk area descriptions, firearm restrictions in Grays Harbor County, and conditions under which hunters with disabilities may shoot from a vehicle.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (28 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (6 Mb)

Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

1:20 PM 11. Possession and Importation Dead Wildlife and Transport of Elk Hooves - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to legally salvage road killed deer and elk, restrict importation and retention of dead nonresident wildlife from Michigan due to chronic wasting disease, and allow the legal transport of elk hooves to facilitate Treponema associated hoof disease research.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (26 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (997 Kb)

Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

2:05 PM 12. Baiting of Deer and Elk - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File [43.8 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on three alternate proposals regarding the baiting of deer and elk.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (29 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb)

Staff Report:  Mick Cope, Game Division Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

3:20 PM 13. Deer General and Special Permit Seasons and Regulations - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File [23.1 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on deer general seasons and definitions, and special permits.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (25 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (1 Mb)

Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

4:05 PM 14. Elk General and Special Permit Seasons and Regulations - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File [8.2 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on elk general seasons and definitions, and special permits.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (25 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (675 Kb)

Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

4:35 PM 15. Initiative I-1401 - Protection of at Risk Species of Extinction - Briefing

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I-1401 was designed to protect species at risk of extinction around the world and in the U.S. The initiative makes it illegal to buy, sell, trade or give away most products made from those and other endangered species. The department will need to request supplemental appropriations to enforce this initiative.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (123 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

5:05 PM Recess

SATURDAY, March 19, 2016

8:00 AM 16. Open Public Input

Download MP3 File [12.0 MB]

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 17. Predator-Prey Management - Briefing

Download MP3 File [22.4 MB]

Department staff will provide the Commission with an overview of the complex issues related to predator/prey management in Washington.  This briefing will focus on predator/prey issues concerning deer, elk, moose, and big horn sheep populations and how the Department is implementing objectives outlined in the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (22 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (4 Mb)

Staff Report: Mick Cope, Game Division Manager

9:15 AM 18. Spring Black Bear Season - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File [2.4 MB]

Staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to spring black bear hunting seasons to address damage and wildlife conflict issues.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (25 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

Staff Report: Anis Aoude, Carnivore Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

9:30 AM 19. Cougar Biology Overview - Briefing

Download MP3 File [27.9 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on the research, biology, and ecology associated with the cougar harvest management objectives published in the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (21 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (7 Mb)

Staff Report:  Rich Beausoleil, Wildlife Biologist

10:45 AM 20. Cougar Hunting Seasons and Regulations - Briefing and Public Hearing

Download MP3 File [17.0 MB]

Department staff will brief the Commission on cougar harvest and human-cougar conflict trends, and how these topics are incorporated into the Department's cougar management strategies.  The Commission will also be briefed on the proposed 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 cougar hunting seasons and regulations.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (30 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (3 Mb)

Staff Report:  Anis Aoude, Carnivore Section Manager

PUBLIC INPUT (This item only)

12:15 PM 21. Annual Wolf Management Report - Briefing

Download MP3 File [32.7 MB]

Department staff will provide the Commission with an annual briefing regarding the wolf plan implementation from 2015.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (86 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (9 Mb)

Staff Report: Donny Martorello, Ph.D., Wolf Policy Lead

1:15 PM 22. Miscellaneous and Meeting Debrief

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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.