Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to meet Aug. 8-10 in Olympia

OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a hybrid meeting in Olympia Aug. 8-10 to consider land transactions in Yakima and Skamania counties, decide on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) budget requests, and receive updates on state fish and wildlife management.

The meeting will be held at the Natural Resources Building in Olympia and will also be live-streamed, with webinar access available on the Commission webpage.

The Commission will convene Thursday, Aug. 8, for Big Tent, Fish, Habitat, and Wildlife committee meetings. The Big Tent Committee is scheduled to discuss the draft Conservation (PDF) and Best Available Science (PDF) policies, current public input rules, and the Public Trust Doctrine. Agenda topics for the Fish Committee include Grays Harbor salmon and coastal Dungeness crab management. The Habitat and Wildlife committees will visit wildlife crossing areas to learn about opportunities for habitat connectivity. Due to limited parking and safety, the field trip will not be open to the general public. The committees are traveling separately and will not reach a quorum.

The full Commission meeting will begin Friday, Aug. 9, with an open public input opportunity followed by a report from WDFW Director Kelly Susewind and Coastal Region Director Heather Hall. The Commission will decide on proposed land transactions for conservation easement properties at Wenas Black Canyon in Yakima County and Moss Cave in Skamania County.

The Commission will also decide on WDFW’s requests for the 2025 legislative session and 2025-27 operating and capital budget proposals. In the afternoon, the Commission will hear staff briefings on the State Wildlife Action Plan, the Wildlife Diversity Division’s work to conserve and recover Species of Greatest Conservation Need, proposed rules for trapping and beaver relocation, and Grays Harbor salmon management.

The Commission will reconvene Saturday, Aug. 10, with an open public input opportunity. The Commission will then decide on a process for petitions, have a meeting debrief, and discuss future meeting agendas before moving to executive session.

Those interested in providing verbal public comment during the meeting, either in-person in Olympia or remotely via webinar or phone, must register in advance.

All members of the public are invited to share their perspectives 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, status as a veteran, or basis of disability.

The full meeting agenda, including information about submitting public comment and accessing the hybrid meeting online or by phone, is available on the WDFW website. The meeting will be recorded and published on the Commission webpage so the public can watch afterward at their convenience.

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