November 8-9, 2012 Minutes

MEETING MINUTES
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WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE
COMMISSION MEETING

November 8-9, 2012

Natural Resources Building - 1111 Washington St SE Olympia WA 98501
First Floor, Room 172

ATTENDANCE:
Commission
Public (cont.)
Public (cont.)
Miranda Wecker, Chair
Dve Suther
Glen Johnston
Gary Douvia, Vice Chair
Ted Measor
Leon Stevenson
Larry Carpenter
Marianne Campbell
Dale Scott
David Jennings
Kenneth Campbell
Pete Bergman
Jay Kehne
Michael Bitterling
Jerome A. Twogood
Conrad Mahnken
Sylvia Bitterling
Raymond M Ramirez
Chuck Perry
Ken Wirkkala
Nathan Grimm
Rolland Schmitten
Robert Sudar
Joe Verdoes
Brad Smith
Tim Heuker
Bret Andrich
 
Doug Forsythe
Jim Ernest
Commission Staff:
Ron Moijtic
Aven M. Anderson
Tami Lininger
Bob Krause
Vic Burn
Erin Gariépy
Jerry Lowe
Barb Burn
 
Ken Rathbun
David Lutz
Department Staff
Clay Dickerson
John Martinix
Phil Anderson, Director
Terry Miller
Steve P. Thorniley
Joe Stohr, Deputy Director
Roger Goodan
Laurence A. Bucklin
William Frymire, AGO
Norm Reinhardt
Frank Laird
Joanna Eide
Earl Betts
Herb Guttier
Nate Pamplin
Frank Haw
Rich Poelker
Eric Gardner
Duane Dettmann
Ed Wickersham
Tim Burns
Brad Schoenburn
Harry Barber
Margen Carlson
Greg Wilson
Troy McKelvey
Bruce Botka
Ron Fraser
Heath Heikkila
Mike Cenci
Marlne Fraser
Nello Picinich
Madonna Luers
Chuck Hickey
Bob Loomis
John Burrows
Carl Rienstra
Peter Flohr
Doug Hoyer
Roy Brogdon
Ed Fedder
Guy Norman
Melissa Brogdon
Merle Herrett
Rich Childers
Neil Sullivan
Lee Blankenship
Dave Ware
Dan Sullivan
Dan H. Stauffer
Dale Gombert
Rod Rarabeck
Cliff Richard
 
Joe Slepki
Gary Graff
Public
Scot Jackson
Larry Mann
Ross Fleming
Kirk Harrison
Arnold Zachariasen
Joyce Merkel
David Martin
Keith W. Isaacson
Janna Nichols
Sunny Lees
John Wicklund
Bob Bailey
Merle Herrett
Kay McDonald
Rick Stratton
Charles Hulse
Ray Seiler
Selene Muldowney
Anthony Floor
Dale Scott
Reagan Muldowney
Gordon Ruh
Wallace Cogley
Koos du Preez
Margaret Christopher
Jim Baldes
Jacqueline Winter
Caraly Farneff
Brent Hackney
Bill Minton
W. W. Fouler
Steve Gray
B.J. Thorniley
Mike Backman
Gabe Miller,
Linda Saunders
Terry West
Shelley Wirkkala
Darrell Wallace
Bryce Divine
Captain Larry Kaminiski
Diane Gallegos
Larry Burnstad
Kent Martin
Darrell Smith
Dylan Kretchmer
Irene Martin
Lona Smith
Craig Winemsen
Steve Andrews
Scott Lundy
Brian Wiedenspan
Ron Garner
Dylan Mayer
Jeanna Edgerts
Ron Chase
Wesley Winstead
Mark Salgrt
Vern Forsberg
Fritz Merkel
Patty Carter
Greg Johnson
Ellie Eamin
Georga Prossick
Kely Tynon Brown
Richard Jack
Tim Buckendahl
Darren Crookshanks

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Chair Wecker called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.

1. Call to Order:

  1. Commissioners’ Discussion
    • Counting Fish - new technologies
    • Montana trip - learning about lethal and non-lethal wolf control
    • Wolves in Nevada

     

  2. Meeting Minutes Approval
    • November 2, 2012 - Conference Call Minutes
    • Complements to Commission Staff for timely completion of minutes

Commissioner Jennings moved, seconded by Commissioner Mahnken, to approve the minutes from the November 2, 2012 conference call. Motion carried unanimously.

2. Director's Report (listed as item 3 on the agenda):
The Director briefed the Commission on various items including:

  • Introduction of Tim Burns, Assistant Director, Capital Asset Management Program and Eric Gardner, Diversity Division Manager, Wildlife Program
  • Giant Pacific Octopus harvest
  • Wolf Conservation and Management Plan
  • Rule to delist Steller Sea lions

3. Open Public Input (listed as item 2 on the agenda):
The following people signed up to provide public input during this item:

  • Dylan Mayer – Giant Pacific Octopus
  • Fritz Merkel - Giant Pacific Octopus
  • Mike Racine - Giant Pacific Octopus
  • Craig Willemsen - Giant Pacific Octopus
  • Scotty Lundy - Giant Pacific Octopus
  • Janna Nichols – Cabazon catch limit
  • Georga Prossick – Puyallup Trout Hatchery
  • Patty Carter – Puyallup Trout Hatchery
  • Bill Minton – Lingcod catch limit
  • Jacqueline Winter - Giant Pacific Octopus

4. WAC Overhaul Technical Rule Changes Round 3 – Decision
Joanna Eide, Administrative Regulations Analyst, Enforcement Program, briefed the Commission on the proposed third batch of technical rule changes associated with the WAC overhaul project.  This proposal was an update to clarify, reorganize, and restructure numerous bottomfish, commercial shellfish, and recreational shellfish rules.

The following rules are amended:
WAC 220-16-330        General definitions--Dressed fish.
WAC 220-48-005        Puget Sound bottomfish--General provisions.
WAC 220-48-015        Beam trawl and otter trawl--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-052        Bottomfish troll--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-061        Drag seines--Gear.
WAC 220-48-071        Bottomfish pots--Gear and seasons.
WAC 220-52-018        Clams--Gear.
WAC 220-52-019        Geoduck clams--Gear and unlawful acts.
WAC 220-52-01901    Geoduck licenses.
WAC 220-52-040        Commercial crab fishery--Lawful and unlawful gear, methods, and other unlawful acts.
WAC 220-52-043        Commercial crab fishery--Additional gear and license use requirements.
WAC 220-52-046        Crab fishery--Seasons and areas.
WAC 220-52-060        Crawfish fishery.
WAC 220-56-315        Crabs, shrimp, crawfish--Unlawful acts.
WAC 220-56-320        Shellfish gear--Unlawful acts.
WAC 220-56-330        Crab--Areas and seasons.
WAC 220-56-335        Crab--Unlawful acts.
WAC 220-56-365        Razor clams--Unlawful acts.

The following are proposed new rules:
WAC 220-48-072        Unlawful retention of live bottomfish.
WAC 220-52-005        Crab--General unlawful acts.
WAC 220-52-01902    Commercial geoduck harvest--Requirements and unlawful acts.
WAC 220-52-01903    Commercial geoduck harvest--Time and area restrictions.
WAC 220-52-036        Definition--Commercial crab fishing.
WAC 220-52-038        Commercial crab licenses.
WAC 220-52-042        Commercial crab fishery--Buoy tag, pot tag, and buoy requirements.
WAC 220-52-044        Commercial crab fishery--Coastal gear recovery permits.
WAC 220-52-045        Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Coastal.
WAC 220-52-047        Commercial crab gear--Possession of another’s gear and tag tampering.
WAC 220-52-048        Commercial crab fishery--Gear limits--Puget Sound and Marine Fish- Shellfish Managements and Catch reporting Areas.
WAC 220-52-049        Commercial crab fishery--Gear limits--Coastal.
WAC 220-56-317        Personal use shrimp pot gear requirements.
WAC 220-56-318        Personal use crab pot gear requirements.
           
The following rules are repealed:
WAC 220-16-325        General definitions--Dressed fish length measurement.
WAC 220-48-001        Puget Sound bottomfish gear.
WAC 220-48-019        Roller trawl--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-025        Set net--Pacific cod--Gear.
WAC 220-48-026        Set net--Pacific cod--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-027        Set net--Pacific cod--Logbooks.
WAC 220-48-029        Set net--Dogfish--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-032        Set line--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-041        Commercial jig--Gear.
WAC 220-48-042        Commercial jig--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-051        Bottomfish troll--Seasons.
WAC 220-48-062        Drag seines--Seasons.

Vice Chair Douvia moved, seconded by Commissioner Smith to adopt all changes on pages 3 and 4 of attachment A (listed above).  Motion carries unanimously.

5. WAC Overhaul Technical Rule Changes, Round 4 - Briefing
Joanna Eide, Administrative Regulations Analyst, Enforcement Program, briefed the Commission on the fourth batch of technical rule changes associated with the WAC overhaul project. The proposal amended WAC sections to update, clarify, reorganize, and restructure numerous wildlife, fish, and shellfish rules.

No one signed up to provide public input for this item.

6. Puget Sound Recovery and Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Grant Program – Briefing
Margen Carlson, Puget Sound Policy Lead, Habitat Program, briefed the Commission on the activities and commitments within the Department relating to Puget Sound recovery.

7. WDFW Use of Social Media
Bruce Botka, Public Affairs and Community Outreach Manager, Madonna Luers, Communications Consultant and Mike Cenci, Deputy Chief, Enforcement Program demonstrated how the agency is using social media to support its enforcement, public affairs and outreach efforts.  Mr. Botka thanked John Burrows, Web Development Manager, for his work on the WDFW website.

8. Columbia River Fishery Management – Briefing 
Guy Norman, Regional Director briefed the Commission on the results of meetings with the Oregon and Washington Fish and Wildlife Workgroup.

The following people provided public input for this item:

Jeff McKean
Mike Backman
Bryce Divine
Joseph Slepski
Greg Johnson
Tim Buckendahl
Vern Foresberg
Darren Crookshanks
Steve Gray
Ken Wirkkala
Shelley Wirkkala
Irene Martin
Kent Martin
Robert Sudar
Larry Burnstad
Ed Wickersham
Harry Barber
Heath Heikkila
Jerry Lowe
Roger Goodan
Bob Loomis
Peter Flohr
Ed Fedder
Frank Haw
Greg Wilson
Brad Schoeborn
Duane Dettmann
Tim Heuker
Kay McDonald
Glen Johnson
Leon Stevenson
Chuck Hickey
Roderick Rorabeck
Stan Brogdon
Nathan Grimm

Chair Wecker recessed the meeting at 4:22 p.m.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Chair Wecker called the meeting back to order at 8:07 a.m.

9. Executive Session
Pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i), the Commission met 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 was taken in executive session, and the public was not permitted to attend the executive session. 

10.  Puget Sound Shrimp Policy Review – Briefing
Rich Childers, Puget Sound Shellfish Manager, briefed the Commission on the preliminary analysis of spot shrimp fishery management options and draft language for a policy that includes fishery management objectives and resource conservation principles.

The following people signed up to provide public input for this item:

Panel 1:
Ken Crews
Brent Andrich
Joe Verdose
Panel 2:
Ron Garner
Gordon Ruh
Brent Hackney Public:
Dan Stauffer
David Martin
Wallace Cogley
Ron Chase
Merle Herrett
Captain Larry Kaminski
Aven Andersen
Jim Ernest
David Lutz
John Martinis
Laurence Bucklin
Gabe Miller
John McKay

11. Open Public Input
No one signed up to provide public input for this item.

12. Commission’s Annual Meeting with the Governor   
Location: Governor’s Office, Legislative Building, Olympia       
The Commission met with Marty Loesch, Chief of Staff as Governor Gregoire was unavailable.

In accordance with RCW 77.04.055, the Commission met with Governor Gregoire to review and prescribe basic goals and objectives, and review the performance of the Department in implementing fish and wildlife policies.

13. Wildlife Conflict Rules – Rule Briefing and Public Hearing
Dave Ware, Game Division Manager, briefed the Commission on amendments to wildlife interaction/conflict regulations including floor changes contained in the presentation.

Amend: 
WAC 232-36-030 Definitions.
WAC 232-36-051 Killing wildlife causing private property damage.
WAC 232-36-100 Payment for commercial crop damage – Limitations.
WAC 232-36-200 Payment for commercial livestock damage – Limitations.
WAC 232-36-250 Payment for noncommercial livestock or guard dog losses – Limitations.
WAC 232-36-260 Application of cash compensation for noncommercial livestock or guard  dog losses – Procedure.
WAC 232-36-400 Commercial crop or livestock damage claim – Dispute resolution.

The following people provided testimony for this item:

Darrell Wallace
Linda Saunders

14. Miscellaneous and Meeting Debrief
The Commission discussed items that arose immediately before or during the meeting and after the preliminary agenda is published.

  • Budget
  • Annual performance review for Director Anderson – December meeting

Commission Requests:
Understanding the CR 101 and 102 process – Briefing, medium importance
Commissioner Schmitten moved, seconded by Vice Chair Douvia to request a briefing on the CR 101 and 102 process.  Motion carries unanimously.

Enforcement Staffing Study – Briefing, medium importance
Commissioner Perry moved, seconded by Commissioner Schmitten to request an Enforcement Staffing Study briefing.  Motion carries unanimously.

Chair Wecker adjourned the meeting at 3:27 p.m.