Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Fish and Wildlife Commission
September 22-24, 2022 Agenda
Hybrid Meeting
Ocean Shores Convention Center
120 W Chance a La Mer NW Ocean Shores, WA 98569
Rooms: Pacific Halls A, B, and D
Watch with TVW Friday or Saturday
Thursday, September 22, 2022 – Committee Meetings
To listen to the committee meetings, please access them here or by phone with the following phone numbers below.
1-253-215-8782 or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll-Free) and enter in Webinar ID: 846-6915-1853
8:30 am
Habitat Committee - Commissioners Linville, Lehmkuhl, Smith, Ragen (Watch with TVW)
Location: Ocean Shores Convention Center, Rooms: Pacific Halls A, B, and D
Agenda topics:
- State lands visitor use and economic value impact report
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
- General discussion – current events
10:30 am
Big Tent Committee - Commissioners Baker, Thorburn, McIsaac, Lehmkuhl (Watch with TVW)
Location: Ocean Shores Convention Center, Rooms: Pacific Halls A, B, and D
Agenda topics:
- Draft Conservation policy (PDF)
- State Wildlife Action Plan (PDF)
- FWC Policy update (PDF)
- Draft director's delegation discussion
- General discussion – current events
1:00 pm
Fish Committee – Commissioners McIsaac, Anderson, Linville, Ragen (Watch with TVW)
Location: Ocean Shores Convention Center, Rooms: Pacific Halls A, B, and D
Agenda topics: (Detailed PDF Agenda (PDF))
- Cowlitz Hooking Mortality Study (PDF)
- C-3622 Willapa Bay Salmon Management Policy Option Review (PDF)
- General discussion – current events
3:30 pm
Wildlife Committee - Commissioners Thorburn, Smith, Anderson, Rowland (Watch with TVW)
Location: Ocean Shores Convention Center, Rooms: Pacific Halls A, B, and D
Agenda topics:
- Spring Bear Policy planning and scheduling (PDF)
- Structured-decision making (PDF)
- Game Management Plan scope and schedule proposal (PDF)
- General discussion – current events
Friday, September 23, 2022 – Regular Meeting
Virtual Participation:
If you are interested in providing verbal public comment, please pre-register here. The following pre-registration deadlines are in effect:
- Pre-registration public comment closes at 8 am Friday for Friday's comment periods and at 8 am on Saturday for Saturday's comment periods.
- Open Public Input is for comments on matters not found elsewhere on the agenda with separate public comment periods.
- Registrants will be called upon and have three minutes to speak.
In-Person Participation:
If you want to provide testimony in in-person, please complete a "Public Testimony" form (available at the meeting registration table) before starting that agenda item. Submit your completed form to the Commission representative at the registration table before that agenda item. When registering to testify, please provide your first and last name, what topic you would like to speak about, a valid email address, and a phone number.
To listen to the meeting or provide online testimony, please access it here or by phone with the following phone numbers below.
1-253-215-8782 or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll-Free) and enter in Webinar ID: 846-6915-1853
Additional information on verbal and written comments can be found here.
8:00 am
1. Call to Order
Commissioner's Discussion
Meeting Minutes Approval
- August 4-6, 2022, webinar meeting minutes (PDF)
- August 26, 2022, web conference meeting minutes (PDF)
Committee Reports
8:45 am
2. Open Public Input
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 meeting portion. 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.
9:45 am
3. Director's Report
The Director will brief the Commission on various items.
- Intro of new Region 6 Director
10:15 am
4. Chelan River Rulemaking - Briefing, Public Hearing
Staff will brief the Commission on a proposal to open a previously closed section of Chelan River by allowing only catch-and-release fishing, using only barbless hooks with no bait.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Staff Report: Chad Jackson, Region 2 Fish Program Manager
Public Hearing – This Item Only
11:00 am - Break
11:15 am
5. Brown Pelican Periodic Status Review (Maintain) – Briefing, Public Comment, Decision
Staff will brief the Commission and ask for a decision on the recommendation to maintain the status of the Brown Pelican.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Staff Report: Taylor Cotten, Conservation Assessment Section Manager
Public Hearing – This Item Only
11:30 am
6. Western Snowy Plover Periodic Status Review (Maintain) – Briefing, Public Comment, Decision
Staff will brief the Commission and ask for a decision on the recommendation to maintain the status of the Western Snowy Plover.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Staff Report: Derek Stinson, Diversity Division Biologist
Public Comment – This Item Only
11:45 am
7. White Pelican Periodic Status Review Rule Amendment (Down listing) – Briefing, Public Hearing
Staff will brief the Commission on the amendments to WAC 220-200-100 that would reclassify the white pelican from "threatened" to "sensitive" in the state of Washington.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Staff Report: Taylor Cotten, Conservation Assessment Section Manager
Public Hearing – This Item Only
12:00 pm
8. Cascade Red Fox Periodic Status Review Rule Amendment (New listing) – Briefing, Public Hearing
Staff will brief the Commission on the amendments to WAC 220-200-100 that would classify the Cascade red fox as "threatened" in the state of Washington.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Staff Report: Jeff Lewis, Wildlife Biologist
Public Hearing – This Item Only
12:15 pm - Lunch
1:15 pm
9. Coastal Steelhead Update (Season Review, Prospects and Process for Next Season) – Briefing, Public Comment
Staff will provide the Commission with a review of the 2022 season and prospective status for the 2023 season.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Staff Report: Kelly Cunningham, Director of Fish Program, and James Losee, Region 6 Fish Program Manager
Public Comment – This Item Only
2:20 pm
10. Executive Session
Pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) and RCW 42.30.110 (1)(g), the Commission will meet in an executive session. Accordingly, no action will be taken during the executive session, and the public is not permitted to attend.
4:20 pm - Recess
Saturday, September 24, 2022 – Regular Meeting
Virtual Participation:
If you are interested in providing verbal public comment, please pre-register here. The following pre-registration deadlines are in effect:
- Pre-registration public comment closes at 8 am Friday for Friday's comment periods and at 8 am on Saturday for Saturday's comment periods.
- Open Public Input is for comments on matters not found elsewhere on the agenda with separate public comment periods.
- Registrants will be called upon and have three minutes to speak.
In-Person Participation:
If you want to provide testimony in in-person, please complete a "Public Testimony" form (available at the meeting registration table) before starting that agenda item. Submit your completed form to the Commission representative at the registration table before that agenda item. When registering to testify, please provide your first and last name, what topic you would like to speak about, a valid email address, and a phone number.
To listen to the meeting or provide online testimony, please access it here or by phone with the following phone numbers below.
1-253-215-8782 or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll-Free) and enter in Webinar ID: 846-6915-1853
Additional information on verbal and written comments can be found here.
8:00 am
11. Open Public Input
The Commission is a direct link between the citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Therefore, this meeting portion will welcome comments on Department programs and topics of concern. 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.
9:00 am
12. C-3622 Willapa Bay Policy Review– Briefing, Public Comment
Staff will provide a briefing on the status of the Willapa Bay Policy review, and the Commission will take public comment on the future process and schedule of the policy review.
- Summary Sheet (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
- Revised Alternative 2 (PDF)
- Model Description Comparison (PDF)
Staff Report: Marlene Wagner, South Coast Policy Lead, and Ken Warheit, Fish Health and Molecular Genetics Lab; Chad Herring, Anadromous Resource Policy Analyst; Kelly Cunningham, Director of Fish Program.
10:30 am
13. Meeting Debrief and Future Meeting Planning
The Commission will discuss items immediately before, during, or after the meeting and consider future agenda planning.
- Year-at-a-Glance (YAAG)
- 2023 Meeting Dates (PDF)
11:15 am - Adjourn