March 17-18, 2017 meeting transcript

Audio Transcripts

March 16, 2017 - Special Meeting
March 17-18, 2017 - Regular Meeting

FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION MEETING
March 17-18, 2017

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

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

3:00 PM 1. Commission's Annual Meeting with the Governor
Location: Governor's Office, Legislative Building, Olympia

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017

8:00 AM 2. Call to Order

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  1. Commissioners' Discussion
  2. Meeting Minute Approval
8:15 AM

3. Open Public Input

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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.

8:45 AM

3. Director's Report
The Director will brief the Commission on various items.

- Director's Report (PDF) - PDF Format (477 Kb)

9:15 AM 5. Land Transactions - Briefing, Public Hearing and Decision - Item Removed from Agenda

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The Commission will consider approval of various land transactions recommended by the Department for the protection of critical fish and wildlife habitat and for the enhancement of public recreation opportunities.

 

Staff Report: Julie Sandberg, Real Estate Section Manager

 

9:35 AM 6. Lands 20/20 - Briefing

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Department staff will provide a briefing on the Lands 20/20 process and will seek funding for projects approved through this process.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (16 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (6 Mb)

Staff Report:  Julie Sandberg, Real Estate Section Manager and Cynthia Wilkerson, Lands Division Manager

10:20 AM 7. Snoqualmie Valley Wildlife Area and Dog Training - Briefing

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Department staff will brief the Commission and the public on the current proposal to support bird dog training in the Cherry Valley and Crescent Lake units of the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area, and will provide an update about the schedule and timeline for the review and approval of the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area plan.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 29 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 2 Mb)

Staff Report: Melinda Posner, Planning, Recreation and Outreach Section Manager, and Russell Link, Region 4 Wildlife Program Manager

10:40 AM 8. Deer Areas, Elk Areas, Special Closures and Firearm Restrictions - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to deer and elk area descriptions and firearm restrictions.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 954 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Foramt (4 Mb)

Staff Report:  Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager

11:05 AM 9. Deer General Seasons and Definitions, Deer  and Elk Special Permits - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on deer general seasons and definitions, and deer and elk special permits.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 2 Mb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 3 Mb)

Staff Report: Jerry Nelson, Ph.D., Deer and Elk Section Manager

1:00 PM 10. Moose Seasons, Permit Quotas and Areas - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on the proposed amendments to moose seasons, permit quotas, and hunt areas.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 883 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (402 Kb)

Staff Report: Rich Harris, Ph.D., Special Species Section Manager

1:20 PM 11. Bighorn Sheep Seasons, Permits and Quotas - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed amendments to bighorn sheep permit levels and opportunities.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 877 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (2 Mb)

Staff Report: Rich Harris, Ph.D., Special Species Section Manager

1:40 PM 12. Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on the proposed updates and amendments to migratory bird hunting seasons and regulations

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 859 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (5 Mb)

Staff Report: Kyle Spragens, Waterfowl Section Manager

2:05 PM 13. Landowner Hunting Permits and Small Game and Other Wildlife Seasons and Regulations - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed date adjustments to the landowner hunting permit seasons for 2017 and changes to the wildlife area names.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 918 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (993 Kb)

Staff Report:  Angelique Curtis, Small Game Section Manager

2:20 PM 14. Special Hunting Season Permits - Briefing and Public Hearing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on proposed changes to the special hunting season permits regarding point restoration.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 811 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (436 Kb)

Staff Report: Anis Aoude, Game Division Manager

3:00 PM 15. Petition to NOAA to Establish a Whale Protection Zone for Southern Resident Killer Whales - Briefing

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The Commission will receive a briefing on the petition that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received to establish a zone for the protection of Southern Resident Killer Whales off the coast of San Juan Island.  NOAA staff will review the current vessel regulations, describe the information requested through the open public comment period on the whale protection zone petition, and outlie the process for responding to the petition.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 27 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format ( 1 Mb)

Staff Report: Hannah Anderson, Listing and Recovery Section Manager; Kyle Adicks, Intergovernmental Salmon Manager; Deputy Chief Mike Cenci and Lynne Barre, Seattle Branch Chief, Protected Resources Division, NOAA 

3:30 PM 16. Sport Fishing Regulations Phone Application Review - Briefing

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Department staff will brief the Commission on the development of a mobile phone application for the 2017/18 Sport Fishing Regulations.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (25 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) DF Format (492 Kb)

Staff Report:  Brodie Cox, Biological Data Systems Manager and Melody Alefteras, Lead Science Developer

4:05 PM 17. Open Public Input

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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.

4:35 PM Recess

SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017

8:00 AM 18. Open Public Input

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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.

8:30 AM 19. Annual Wolf Management Report - Briefing

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Department staff will provide the Commission with an annual briefing regarding wolf plan implementation during 2016.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format ( 25 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (6 Mb)

Staff Report: Donny Martorello, Wolf Policy Lead

9:30 AM 20. North of Falcon In-Season Management - Briefing

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Department staff and Commissioners will have a discussion on in-season management as it pertains to Puget Sound Sport Salmon Fisheries.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (71 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF (764 kB)
- Northwest Marine Trade Association Sales Data (PDF) (891 Kb)

Staff report: Ron Warren, Assistant Director, Fish Program, Pat Pattillo, Recreational Fishing Advisor and George Harris, President of Northwest Marine Trade Association

10:15 AM 21. Cowlitz River Update - Briefing and Public Input

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Department staff will brief the Commission on Cowlitz River management and fisheries.

 

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (86 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (6 Mb)

Staff Report: Cindy Lefleur, Region 5 Fish Program Manager, Eric Kinne, Hatchery Division Systems Manager

11:45 AM 22. Willapa Bay Salmon Management Policy Review - Briefing and Public Hearing

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The Department will present additional information to the Commission on the Willapa Bay Salmon Management Policy (C-3622) as set in the Adaptive Management objectives of the policy.

- Summary (PDF) - PDF Format (224 Kb)
- Presentation (PDF) - PDF Format (699 Kb)
- Supplemental Information (PDF) - PDF Format (141 Kb)

Staff Report: Annette Hoffmann, Region 6 Fish Program Manager

12:45 AM 23. Miscellaneous and Meeting Debrief

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The Commission will discuss items that arise immediately before or during the meeting and after the preliminary agenda is published.
1:00 PM Adjourn

Contact the Fish and Wildlife Commission Office for further information:
Phone 360-902-2267
Email: commission@dfw.wa.gov