Minutes and audio/video recordings
Meeting location
Anacortes City Hall
904 6th Street
Anacortes, WA 98221
- Committee Meetings
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM – Wildlife Committee - Commissioners Smith, Anderson, Rowland, Myers
Agenda topics:
- Housekeeping
- Welcome new member
- Chair election
- Game Management Plan discussion (PDF)
- WLC training needs for the workspace platforms scheduling
1:00 - 2:30 PM – Fish Committee – Commissioners Anderson, Ragen, Linville, Parker
Agenda topics:
- Co-Manager Hatchery Policy Update (same materials linked in item #13 below)
- Lake Roosevelt White Sturgeon
- Forage Fish Policies follow up Committee discussion and direction
- North of Falcon Update (season forecasts, schedules, possible issues)
- General discussion – current events, emergent items, and next meeting agenda
- Committee Chair Election
3:00 - 4:00 PM – OPMA/Records Training – Joe Panesko, Washington State Office of the Attorney General
4:00 - 5:30 PM – Executive Session
Pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i), the Commission will meet in executive session to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the agency is or is likely to become a party. No action will be taken in the executive session, and the public will not be permitted to attend.
- Regular Meeting
Virtual Participation:
If you are interested in providing verbal public comment, please pre-register online. The following pre-registration deadlines are in effect:
- Registration for public comment begins at 8am on the Thursday prior to the meeting and closes at 8am on Friday, prior to the meeting beginning. Open Public Input (OPI) is for comments on matters that are not found elsewhere on the agenda with identified specific public comment periods.
- Registrants will be called upon and have three minutes to speak unless the Chair sets a lesser time at the onset of the agenda item.
- All information entered on the form is subject to public disclosure.
In-Person Participation:
If you want to provide testimony 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.
8:00 AM – 1. Call to Order
Meeting Minutes Approval
Committee Reports
8:30 AM – 2. Open Public Input
10:00 AM – 3. Deputy Director and Regional Director’s Report
The Deputy Director will brief the Commission on various items.
10:45 AM – BREAK
11:15 AM – 4. Lands 20/20 Expedited - Briefing
Staff will provide a briefing on the expedited Lands 20/20 process which is used to consider potential land acquisition projects outside the annual cycle and an overview of two projects under consideration, including a summary of public comments on these two projects.
Staff Report: Karen Edwards, Real Estate Manager and Lisa Coffman, Lands 20/20 Coordinator
11:45 AM – 5. Land Transactions – Briefing, Public Comment and Decision
The Commission will consider approval of land transactions recommended by the Department for the enhancement of conservation and public recreational opportunities.
Staff Report: Karen Edwards, Real Estate Manager
12:00 PM – LUNCH
12:45 PM – 6. Update on the North Cascades Elk Herd – Briefing
Staff will provide an update on the status of the North Cascades Elk Herd.
Staff Report: Brendan Brokes, Region 4 Director and Fenner Yarborough, Region 4 Wildlife Program Manager, Tino Villaluz, Swinomish Tribe of Indians, Scott Schuyler Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Frank Bob, Lummi Nation, and others.
1:45 PM – 7. Lake Roosevelt White Sturgeon - Rule Making Authority Delegation to the Director – Briefing, Decision
Staff will brief the Commission on white sturgeon fishery management in Lake Roosevelt and will request delegation for rule making for White sturgeon to the Director.
Staff Report: Chris Donley, Region 1 Fish Program Manager
2:15 PM – 8. North Skookum Ice Fishing Petition – Briefing, Decision
The Commission will consider the petition to open a season for North Skookum Lake to a year-round fishery or open a new season from January 1 to March 1 for ice fishing.
Staff Report: Chris Donley, Region 1 Fish Program Manager
2:45 PM – BREAK
3:00 PM – 9. Lake Whatcom Rule Change Petition – Briefing, Decision
The Commission will consider the petition to open a season for cutthroat trout with two poles on Lake Whatcom.
Staff Report: Edward Eleazer, Region 4 Fish Program Manager
3:30 PM – 10. HPA Rulemaking for SSB 5381 – Briefing
Staff will brief the Commission on expedited rule-making to integrate elements of SSB 5381 into the Hydraulic Code Rules.
Staff Report: Theresa Nation, HPA Rule Making Coordinator; and Margen Carlson, Habitat Program Director
4:00 PM – 11. Annual Wolf Management Report – Briefing
Staff will brief the Commission on the 2022 annual wolf conservation and management report.
Staff Report: Trent Roussin, Wolf Biologist; Gabe Spence, Wolf Biologist; and Julia Smith, Wolf Policy Lead
- Regular Meeting
Virtual Participation:
If you are interested in providing verbal public comment, please pre-register online. The following pre-registration deadlines are in effect:
- Registration for public comment begins at 8am on the Thursday prior to the meeting and closes at 8am on Friday, prior to the meeting beginning. Open Public Input (OPI) is for comments on matters that are not found elsewhere on the agenda with identified specific public comment periods.
- Registrants will be called upon and have three minutes to speak, unless the Chair sets a lesser time at the onset of the agenda item.
- All information entered on the form is subject to public disclosure.
In-Person Participation:
If you want to provide testimony 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.
8:00 AM – 12. 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 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.
9:00 AM – 13. Co-Manager Hatchery Policy Update – Briefing
Staff will provide an update to the Commission on the status of the draft policy and the associated SEPA process.
Staff Report: Eric Kinne, Hatchery Division Manager and Ken Warheit, Fish Health and Molecular Genetics Lab Manager
10:00 AM – 14. Meeting Debrief and Future Meeting Planning
The Commission will discuss items that arise immediately before, during, or after the meeting and consider future agenda planning.