Look down to the high lighted portion and pay attention to the words if possible. When possible was understood to not to include the Chehalis Tribe fisheries. This is in the GHMP addressing QIN fisheries days at time making three net free days impossible NOT about jamming in NT days. Whoever did the right up for Mr Cunningham took some rather large liberties with the facts.

October 1 9, 2022
Dave Hamilton
Hamilton.dave@comcast.net
Dear Mr. Hamilton :

Thank you for your correspondence. In your letter, you made some assertions regarding fisheries
that I would like to address.
Negotiations for the commercial fishery openings in Grays Harbor occurred during the 2022

North of Falcon process and have remained unchanged since they were submitted with the CR -
102 filing on May 17, 2022 and finalized by the signing and filing of the CR -103 on June 29,
2022. Planning Model D, which includes the same planned commercial fisheries, was sent both
to the distribution list of advisers and the general Grays Harbor distribution list on Friday April
15, 2022, in preparati on for the final GH/WB Post North of Falcon salmon fishery discussion
held on April 19, 2022.
During North of Falcon, District 17 Fish Biologist Mike Scharpf and Director Susewind
compromised on a season structure with the co -managers that follows the intent of the Grays
Harbor Salmon Management Policy by enhancing the overall economic well -being and stability
of Grays Harbor fisheries, providing fair distribution of opportunity across all sectors, and
minimize gear and other fishery conflicts. The resulting schedule provides at least three
consecutive days without nets in the water each week there are non -treaty commercial days
scheduled. During statistical week 43, those consecutive days occur Friday through Sunday.
Each of the other weeks in which non- treaty commercial fisheries are scheduled, those days
without nets occur Thursday through Saturday.
The Grays Harbor Basin Salmon Management Policy provides guidance for commercial fisheries
and under Guiding Principle 8 states that we shall schedule a mi nimum of 3 consecutive days in
a given calendar week if possible : “Recreational and WFDW- managed commercial fisheries
shall be structured (e.g., schedule, location, gear) to minimize gear and other fishery conflicts.
WDFW- managed commercial gillnet fisheries in a fishing area or aggregate area (i.e., Area
2A/2B/2D; or Area 2C) shall be scheduled, if possible, so that in any given calendar week there
are a minimum of three consecutive days when no treaty or state -managed commercial fisheries
occur. If the tr eaty fishery occurs 4 or more days in a calendar week, no WDFW -managed
commercial fishery shall occur in the remaining days of the week.” Negotiations this year did
not make 3 days within a given calendar week possible, and the policy was not violated. ​
Dave Hamilton
October 19, 2022
Page 2
Lastly, you took issue with the implementation and justification of closures to Freshwater Areas
in the Grays Harbor basin. I want to re -iterate that fisheries closures are not something the
Department or the Directo r take lightly or without careful consideration of a myriad of factors.
We are hopeful that these closures will be short lived and a change in weather will allow for a re -
opening of these opportunities soon.
Sincerely,
Kelly Cunningham
Fish Program D irector