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

ATTENDANCE:
Commission	Department (cont.)
Will Roehl, Chair	Dan Ayres
Russ Cahill	John Kerwin
Lisa Pelly	Other Department staff
Dawn Reynolds
Fred Shiosaki
Bob Tuck
Van Van Gytenbeek	Public
Kelly White	Evelyn Nelson, Supt. of Cle Elum School District
	Robin Estes, WA Dept. of Natural Resources
Commission Staff:	Bobbie Thorniley, WA State Trappers
Susan Yeager	Rob Kavanaugh
	Mary Lou Peterson, Okanogan Co. Commissioner
	Craig Vejrasken, Okanogan Co. Commissioner
Department	Mike Blankenship, Ferry County Commissioner
Jeff Koenings, Director	Chris Cheney, WA Cattlemen's Assoc.
Larry Peck, Deputy Director	Jim Skalski, OFM
Jim Lux	Dan Fuzio, WA Farm Bureau
Lisa Veneroso	Rosemarry Quesenberry
Rich Lincoln	Phil Leshowitz
Sean Carrell	Allan Hollingsworth, Grays Harbor Gillnetters
Donny Martorello	Paul Ward, Yakama Nation
John Broome	Bill Sharp, Yakama Nation
Tom Davis	Pat Spurgin, Yakama Nation
Greg Hueckel	Steve Nolen
Pat Chapman	Jim Pearson, SCI
Mark Quinn	George Ziegletrum, WA Forest Protection Assoc.
Dan Budd	J. K. Johnson, WA State Muzzleloader Assoc.
Gary Koehler	Bob Plenkovich, Purse Seine Vessel Owners Assoc.
Bill Tweit	Jim Mitby, Willapa Bay Gillnetters
Bob Gibbons	Bob Lake, Willapa Bay Gillnetters

FRIDAY, JUNE 6:

Chair Roehl called the workshop to order at 9:08 a.m.

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

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

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

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

OCEAN SPOT SHRIMP RULE CHANGE - BRIEFING:
Lisa Veneroso briefed the Commission on proposed rule amendments to limit the size of vessels that can be designated by the permit holders, eliminate the requirement to have ownership in the vessel designated on the permit, and require information on fish receiving tickets that designates sub-area catch within a catch and management report area. The Commission will consider adoption of the rule amendments at its August 1-2, 2003, meeting in Bellingham.

2003 PUGET SOUND GILLNET AND PURSE SEINE SALMON FISHING SEASONS - BRIEFING:
Rich Lincoln briefed the Commission on proposed rule amendments regarding pre-season purse seine and gillnet fishing schedules developed as part of the 2003 North of Falcon fishing plan agreed to by the Department and Tribes. The Commission will consider adoption of the rule amendments at its August 1-2, 2003, meeting in Bellingham.

EMERGING COMMERCIAL FISHERY DESIGNATION: PRIVATE LANDS' COMMERCIAL SHELLFISH FISHERY FOR WILD CLAMS, MUSSELS AND OYSTERS - BRIEFING:
Rich Lincoln briefed the Commission on proposed rule changes to establish commercial harvest of private lands' wild clams, mussels and oysters as an emerging commercial fishery. The Commission will consider adoption of the rule amendments at its August 1-2, 2003, meeting in Bellingham.

PUBLIC SAFETY COUGAR REMOVALS - BREIFING:
Sean Carrell and Donny Martorello briefed the Commission on the 2002-2003 public safety cougar removals with the aid of dogs.

Ferry County Commissioner Mike Blankenship and Okanogan County Commissioners Mary Lou

Peterson and Craig Vejrasken discussed with the Commission the public safety cougar removal issue.

SPECIAL TRAPPING PERMITS - BRIEFING:
Sean Carrell briefed the Commission on special trapping permits to authorize the use of body-gripping traps, including the number of permits issued by species, types of permits by category, permits issued to nuisance wildlife control operators, and impacts on staff time.

At the request of the Commission, two individuals provided oral testimony.

DAMAGE HUNTS - BRIEFING:
Sean Carrell briefed the Commission regarding the damage claim process, differences between hot spot permits, kill permits, depredation permits, landowner preference and landowner damage access.

HYDRAULIC PROJECT APPROVAL IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSAL -- BRIEFING:
Greg Hueckel and Tom Davis briefed the Commission on the status of implementing the recommendations of the 2002 Hydraulic Project Approval Task Force.

GOLD AND FISH RULES REVIEW - BRIEFING:
Pat Chapman briefed the Commission on the status of meetings with prospecting groups regarding possible changes to the Gold and Fish rules.

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE/DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES LAND EXCHANGE PROGRAM - UPDATE:
Mark Quinn and Robin Estes (Department of Natural Resources) provided an update to the Commission on DNR's eastside land exchange program as it relates to the WDFW Land Ownership Review.

PROPOSED LAND TRANSACTIONS:
Dan Budd presented numerous land transactions for Commission consideration of approval.

Commissioner Cahill moved, seconded by Commissioner Shiosaki, to approve the following land transactions:

- Acquisition of the 560-acre Prewitt property in Okanogan County for $776,800;
- Acquisition of the 1,660-acre PMM Ranches Limited Partnership property in Okanogan County for $2,096,000;
- Acquisition of the 648.22-acre Goldman property, together with conservation easements on an additional 323.19 and 390 acres property, in Okanogan County for $2,945,350;
- Acquisition of the 1,990.33-acre James property Conservation Easement on the James property in Okanogan County for $950,000;
- Acquisition of the 8,459-acre Schlee property from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in Asotin County for $3,400,000;
- Acquisition of the 26.9-acre Kvamme property in Whatcom County for $396,500;
- Acceptance of the 160-acre Northwest Ecosystems Alliance, through the Cascades Conservation Partnership, property in Kittitas County.
- Grant an easement on the Lewis River Hatchery property in Cowlitz County to the Cowlitz County PUD;
- Grant an easement at the Shady Lake Access Site in King County to the King County Department of Transportation for $4,750; and
- Acquisition of the 12.87-acre Egan property in Jefferson County for $825,000.

The motion to approve the land transactions carried unanimously.

PROJECT "COUGARS AND TEACHING" - BRIEFING:
Gary Koehler and Evelyn Nelson, Superintendent of the Cle Elum School District, briefed the Commission on Project C.A.T.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REPORTING REQUIREMENTES FOR COMMISSIONERS - BRIEFING:
Due to time constraints, Doug Ellis from the State Public Disclosure Commission will brief the Commission on the requirements for reporting legislative lobbying activities at a future workshop.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
One individual provide oral testimony on issues of concern during this portion of the workshop.

Chair Roehl recessed the workshop at 5:53 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 7:

BOW HUNTING DEMONSTRATION - ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT:
Dale Sharp, President, Traditional Bowhunters of Washington, demonstrated adaptive equipment for use by hunters with disabilities. The demonstration was located at: Olympic Archery, 2726 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Olympia, Washington.

Chair Roehl called the workshop back to order at 10:30 a.m. at the Natural Resources Building, Olympia.

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

KLICKITAT HATCHERY AND FISHWAYS - BRIEFING:
Deputy Director Peck and Bill Tweit, and Bill Sharp, Paul Ward, and Pat Spurgeon of the Yakama Nation, briefed the Commission on the history and current status of the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project and a proposal to transfer the Klickitat Hatchery, Lyle Falls Fishway, and Castile Falls Fishway to the Yakama Nation.

DOMOIC ACID - UPDATE:
Dan Ayres briefed the Commission on the efforts to understand the dynamics behind the naturally occurring algal blooms and the resulting fishery disruptions.

IDENTIFYING AND PREVENTING TRANSMISSION OF DISEASE FROM MARINE FINFISH AQUACULTURE TO NATIVE SPECIES - BRIEFING:
John Kerwin briefed the Commission on potential risks to native fish stocks posed by commercial marine finfish aquaculture in marine waters of the Pacific Northwest.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Commissioner Shiosaki moved, seconded by Commissioner White, to approve the minutes of the May 15, 2003, Commission conference call. The motion to approve the minutes carried unanimously.

COMMISSION REQUESTS OF THE DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
The Commission reviewed the Summary of Commission Requests and considered new requests.

Commissioner Reynolds moved, seconded by Commissioner Cahill, to request the Department provide at the October 2003 workshop a status report of the recovery plans for species identified as sensitive, threatened, or endangered. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.
(Commissioner Pelly was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.)

Commissioner Cahill moved, seconded by Commissioner Shiosaki, to request the Department provide at the October 2003 workshop or November 2003 meeting a briefing on the current research being done on Columbia River sturgeon. The briefing should include a scientist from the Oregon State University. The motion to request Department action carried unanimously.
(Commissioner Pelly was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.)

BAIT BAN ON ANADROMOUS HIGHWAYS - BRIEFING:
At the request of the Commission, Bob Gibbons briefed the Commission on the implementation of a potential bait ban on all "anadromous highways" from April 1 to December 1 of each year.

SEA CUCUMBER RULE AMENDMENT - BRIEFING:
Morris Barker briefed the Commission on a proposed rule amendment to correct a boundary description error and address legal hours of operation. Both issues are presently being addressed by emergency rule.

COMMERCIAL SHRIMP RULE AMENDMENT - BRIEFING:
Morris Barker briefed the Commission on a proposed rule amendment to change the rot cord maximum thread size for the escape panel from 100 to 120, and to create a commercial shrimp district definition that is similar to the Port Townsend Shrimp District definition for the sport fishery. The Commission will consider adoption of the rule amendment at its August 1-2, 2003, meeting in Bellingham.

OPEN PUBLIC INPUT:
One individual provided oral testimony on issues of concerning during this portion of the workshop.

MISCELLANEOUS AND MEETING DEBRIEF:
The Commission discussed items that arose immediately before or during the workshop but after the agenda was published.

Chair Roehl adjourned the workshop at 2:05 p.m.

* Commissioner Pelly was absent during discussion and vote on the motion.

Commissioners in Attendance:
Will Roehl, Chair
Russ Cahill
Lisa Pelly
Dawn Reynolds
Fred Shiosaki
Bob Tuck
Kelly White

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