Minutes WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

ATTENDANCE:
Commission	Department (cont.)
Will Roehl, Chair	Bruce Bjork
Ron Ozment, Vice Chair	Ross Ruller
Russ Cahill	Frank Hawley
Lisa Pelly	Gayle Kreitman
Dawn Reynolds	Other Department Staff
Fred Shiosaki
Bob Tuck	Public
Van Van Gytenbeek	Dan Boeholt
Kelly White	Steven Friederich, Seattle PI
	Bill Vincent, Adv. Comm. for Persons with Disabilities
Commission Staff:	Jim Pearson, SCI
Susan Yeager	Greg Christensen, HPA Task Force
	Candy Christensen
Department	Greg Mueller, WA Trollers Assoc.
Jeff Koenings, Director	John McLaughlin, Puget Sound Anglers
Larry Peck, Deputy Director	Rob Kavanaugh
Jim Lux	Graham Willmore
Bill Frymire, Attorney General's Office	Bruce Beatty
Jim Lux	Nick Handy, Port of Olympia
Phil Anderson	Loye Studeb
Pat Chapman	Robert Kehoe, Purse Seine Vessel Owners Assoc.
Greg Hueckel	Corey Freeman, NSIA
Morris Barker	Nina Carter, Audubon of Washington
Greg Bargmann	Lea Mitchell, PEER
Tim Flint	Ken Sletennen
Pat Michael	Rick Liebel, WA State Bowhunters
Lew Atkins

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17:

Chair Cahill called the workshop to order at 9:00 a.m.

ELECTION OF COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR:
Commissioner Shiosaki moved, seconded by Commissioner White, to elect Will Roehl as Commission Chair and Ron Ozment as Commission Vice Chair effective immediately. The motion carried unanimously.

COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION:
Commissioners discussed recent activities and items of general interest and provided status reports on Commission committees.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT:
Deputy Director Peck reviewed significant Department issues and activities.

BUDGET UPDATE:
Jim Lux provided a status report on the Department's current biennial budget.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
Four individuals provided oral testimony on issues of concern during this portion of the workshop.

2003 NORTH OF FALCON POLICY -- BRIEFING:
Phil Anderson briefed the Commission on the 2003 North of Falcon Policy. The policy will be considered for Commission adoption at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview.

HYDRAULIC PROJECT APPROVAL PROGRAM -- BRIEFING:
Commissioner Cahill, Pat Chapman, and Greg Hueckel briefed the Commission on activities of an external task force established by the 2002 Legislature to review the Hydraulic Project Approval Program.

COASTAL PINK SHRIMP FISHERY-- MANDATORY EXCLUDERS -- BRIEFING:
Morris Barker briefed the Commission on proposed rule amendments to define legal biological by-catch reduction devices that may be employed in the coastal pink shrimp fishery to reduce Canary rockfish incidental harvest. The Commission will consider adoption of proposed rule amendments defining and requiring mandatory use of by-catch reduction devices for the Washington coastal pink shrimp fishery at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview.

DOGFISH SHARK MANAGEMENT -- BRIEFING:
Greg Bargmann briefed the Commission on a proposal to protect the Puget Sound dogfish stocks. The Commission will consider adoption of rule amendments for commercial fishing for dogfish in Puget Sound at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview.

COMMERCIAL FISHING RULES FOR HERRING IN COASTAL AREAS -- BRIEFING:
Greg Bargmann briefed the Commission on proposed rule amendments to ensure all intended herring purse seine fishing seasons have been closed, and to provide protection during herring spawning season. The Commission will consider adoption of proposed rule amendments at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview.

SALMON PURSE SEINE MINIMUM MESH SIZE -- BRIEFING:
Tim Flint briefed the Commission on a proposal to modify the minimum mesh size for Puget Sound purse seines from four inches to three and one-half inches. The Commission will consider adoption of proposed rule amendments at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview.

LOGBOOKS AND MANAGEMENT UNIT DESCRIPTIONS FOR SHRIMP -- BRIEFING:
Morris Barker briefed the Commission on modifications to shrimp management boundaries, logbook requirements, and recording requirements regarding catch areas for shrimp buyers. The Commission will consider adoption of proposed rule amendments at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview.

SALE OF COMMERCIALLY CAUGHT SALMON AND SALMON EGGS -- BRIEFING:
Tim Flint briefed the Commission on proposals to prohibit the sale of salmon eggs without the salmon carcass. The Commission will hear public testimony regarding proposed rule amendments at its February 7-8, 2003, meeting in Longview, and will consider adoption of proposed rule amendments at its April 11-12, 2003, meeting in Moses Lake.

COMMISSION'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES -- BRIEFING:
Bill Vincent, Chair of the Commission's Committee for Persons with Disabilities, briefed the Commission on recent activities of the Committee.

APPROVAL OF COMMISSION MINUTES:
Commissioner Shiosaki moved, seconded by Commissioner Cahill, to approve the Minutes of the following:

- November 15, 2002, Commission workshop
- December 6-7, 2002, Commission meeting
- December 19, 2002, Commission conference call.

The motion to approve the minutes carried unanimously.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
Two individuals provided oral testimony on issues of concern during this portion of the workshop.

MISCELLANEOUS AND MEETING DEBRIEF:
Commissioner Pelly moved, seconded by Commissioner Reynolds, to request that the Department prepare a report on the status of landowner damage permits, which would include how many permits were requested last year (2002), how many were issued, how many per region, and what criteria were used to issue the permits. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.

Commissioner Pelly moved, seconded by Commissioner White, to request that the Department prepare a presentation on the Habitat Conservation Plan in the Foster Creek Conservation District, which is the lead for HCP planning in Douglas County. The HCP comprises a land area with a large percentage of private agriculture. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.

Commissioner Van Gytenbeek moved, seconded by Commissioner Tuck, to request that the Department brief the Commission on anadromous fish protection, and consider proposing a bait ban on all anadromous highways April 1-December 1 of each year in the 2003-2004 fishing regulations. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.

The Commission requested that Department staff add dogfish education to the Department's website.

Chair Roehl adjourned the meeting at 2:33 p.m.

ANNUAL MEETING WITH GOVERNOR LOCKE:
The Commission attended its annual meeting with Governor Locke to report on various Commission activities over the past year.