Commission to discuss Shoreline Armoring Rule Making, Columbia white-tailed deer status, Washington Predator-Prey Project, and more at December meeting

OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Dec. 8 through 10 to discuss shoreline armoring rule making, potential future land acquisitions, beavers, the Washington Predator-Prey Project, and several other topics.

On Thursday, Dec. 8, Commission committees will meet. The Habitat Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. with agenda topics including a grazing program update, a habitat protection and restoration overview, and more. The Wildlife Committee meets at 11 a.m. with the Waterfowl and Migratory Gamebirds Management Plan on the agenda. At 1 p.m., the Fish Committee will meet to discuss the Coastal Steelhead Proviso Implementation Plan, the Co-Manager Hatchery Policy, and an upcoming workshop on hatchery production to take place in January.

On Friday, Dec. 9, the full Commission meeting starts at 8 a.m. with open public input. Following that topic, staff will ask Commissioners for decisions on Shoreline Armoring Rule Making and whether to down-list the status of the Columbia white-tailed deer from a state endangered species to threatened.

Staff will provide briefings on the Lands 20/20 process used to consider potential land acquisition projects and provide an overview of projects under consideration, the status of the Coastal Steelhead Proviso Implementation Plan, and an update on adaptive management of regulations aimed at reducing vessel impacts on Southern Resident Killer Whales.

Also on Friday, University of Washington Ph.D. students and WDFW staff will present preliminary findings from the cooperative Washington Predator-Prey Project and staff will present an amendment to rules regarding reporting requirements for freshwater game fish guides, food fish guides and combination game fish and food fish guides. The latter item will include a public hearing. Information on how to testify is on the WDFW website.

On Saturday, Dec. 10 the Commission meeting resumes at 8 a.m. with a second open public input session before the Commission hears an annual report on Columbia River Fishery Salmon Management. The meeting will wrap-up with a meeting debrief and future meeting planning, followed by an executive session of the Commission.

This meeting is a hybrid meeting with Commission members and those who can attend in-person in the Safari Room at the Clarkston Event Center at 841 6^th Street, in Clarkston. Those who cannot attend in-person are invited to join via Zoom. The meeting agenda and information on how to watch and participate in open public input opportunities is available on WDFW’s website.

All members of the public are invited to share their perspective and participate in WDFW public feedback opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, language proficiency, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, or basis of disability. 

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is a panel appointed by the governor that sets policy for the WDFW. WDFW works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.