Ask and ye shall receive.....


February 4-5, 2005, Commission Meeting
Natural Resources Building, Room 172
1111 Washington St SE, Olympia


Preliminary* AGENDA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4 9:00 AM 1. CALL TO ORDER
Approval of Minutes
Commissioners' Discussion
Director's Report
Budget Update

2. OPEN PUBLIC INPUT
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The public is encouraged to share views of Department programs and topics of concern during this portion of the meeting.

3. BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS - BRIEFING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on the requirements for and process by which the Department's operating and capital budgets are developed and brought to the Commission for consideration and submittal to the Office of Financial Management.

Staff Report:
Jim Lux, Assistant Director, Business Services

4. CATCH DATA RECORDING AND DEFINITION OF "DELIVERY"-- RULE ACTION:
The Commission will consider adoption of the following new WAC rule sections and permanent rule amendments:

New Sections
- WAC 220-16-007, Definition--Delivery;
- WAC 220-69-130, Sale under a direct retail endorsement;
Amendments
- WAC 220-69-240, Duties of commercial purchasers and receivers;
- WAC 220-69-241, Duties of commercial fishers; and
- WAC 220-69-280, Fish receiving ticket accountability.

Staff Report:
Evan Jacoby, Fisheries Administrative and Criminal Law Specialist, Enforcement Program; and
Mike Cenci, Captain, Statewide Marine Division, Enforcement Program

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
5. LANDOWNER INCENTIVE PROGRAM UPDATE -- BRIEFING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP), which is a competitive grant process to provide financial assistance to private landowners for the protection, enhancement, or restoration of habitat to benefit "species at risk" on privately owned lands.

Staff Report:
Ginna Correa, LIP Coordinator, Wildlife Program
Jeff Skriletz, LIP Biologist, Fish Program

LUNCH BREAK
1:00 PM 6. BURCH MOUNTAIN POWER LINE - BRIEFING:
Department staff will brief the Commission on the status of the Burch Mountain Power Line easement across the Department's Swakane Wildlife Area in Chelan County.

Staff Report:
Dennis Beich, Region 2 Director
Matt Monda, Region 2 Wildlife Program Manager

7. KLICKITAT HATCHERY TRANSFER - DECISION:
The Commission will consider approval of the transfer of real title for the Klickitat Hatchery and relinquishment of the Castile Falls easement to the Yakama Nation. Department staff briefed the Commission at its June 6-7, 2003, and October 1-2, 2004, workshops.

Staff Report:
Bill Tweit, Columbia River Policy Lead, IRM
Larry Peck, Deputy Director

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
8. NORTH OF FALCON POLICY -- DECISION:
The Commission will consider adoption of the 2005-2006 North of Falcon Policy (C-3608). Department staff briefed the Commission on proposed changes from the previous policy at the January 14-15, 2005, workshop in Olympia.

Staff Report:
Phil Anderson, Special Assistant, IRM
Patrick Pattillo, Salmon Policy Coordinator, IRM

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
9. LANDING RECREATIONALLY CAUGHT FISH TAKEN IN CANADA WATERS INTO WASHINGTON PORTS -- RULE ACTION:
At the request of the Commission, Department staff will present permanent amendments to WAC 220-56-156, Landing Canadian origin food fish and shellfish, that would allow, in some form and circumstances, landings of recreationally caught salmon from Canadian waters into Washington state. The Commission will consider approval of the permanent amendments.

Staff Report:
Phil Anderson, Special Assistant to the Director, IRM

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
10. SALE OF WILD SHELLFISH -- RULE ACTION:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent rule proposals that would establish a trial fishery license for harvesting wild embedded shellfish on private property and provide harvest accountability for purposes of better understanding wild shellfish populations:

- Amendments to WAC 220-52-018, Clams--Gear;
- Amendments to WAC 220-52-020, Clams--Commercial harvest;
- WAC 220-88D-010, Emerging commercial fishery--Commercial wild clams, mussels, and oyster shellfish fishery on nonstate tidelands and belands;
- WAC 220-88D-020, Designation of the commercial wild clams, mussels, and oyster harvest on nonstate lands as an emerging commercial fishery;
- WAC 220-88D-030, Eligibility to participate in the nonstate lands commercial wild clams, mussels, and oyster shellfish fishery; and
- WAC 220-88D-040, Nonstate lands commercial wild clams, mussels, and oysters--Application requirements--Survey and notification requirements--Incidental take prohibited.
Staff Report:
Evan Jacoby, Fisheries Administrative and Criminal Law Specialist, Enforcement Program

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
11. GEODUCK FISH TICKET COPY DISTRIBUTION -- RULE ACTION:
The Commission will consider adoption of proposed amendments to WAC 220-69-26401, Distribution of copies of shellfish receiving ticket, which would create a process for the Department of Natural Resources to more accurately track and account for geoduck harvest.

Staff Report:
Morris Barker, Ph.D., State Marine Resource Manager, Fish Program

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
12. COMMERCIAL RAZOR CLAM FISHERY -- RULE ACTION:
The Commission will consider adoption of proposed amendments to WAC 220-52-030, Clams--Coastal--Seasons and areas, that would clarify licensing requirements, provide better enforcement capability, and ensure fairness for licensed commercial razor clam diggers.

Staff Report:
Morris Barker, Ph.D., State Marine Resource Manager, Fish Program

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
13. OPEN PUBLIC INPUT
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The public is encouraged to share views of Department programs and topics of concern during this portion of the meeting.

5:20 PM RECESS



SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5 8:30 AM 14. OPEN PUBLIC INPUT
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The public is encouraged to share views of Department programs and topics of concern during this portion of the meeting.

15. BULL TROUT CRITICAL HABITAT - BRIEFING:
At the request of the Commission, Department staff will brief the Commission on the revised critical habitat designation for Bull Trout, and will provide a comparison between the previous method and the revised method for designating critical habitat.

Staff Report:
Ross Fuller, Fish Management Division Manager, Fish Program

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
16. COLUMBIA RIVER WILD WINTER STEELHEAD IMPACT RATE -- DECISION:
The Commission will consider adoption of a new policy, Joint State Accord Concerning Wild Winter Steelhead Management in Mainstem Columbia River Fisheries, including delegation of authority to the Director to develop the final management regime in consultation with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Department staff briefed the Commission on this issue at its January 14-15, 2005, workshop in Olympia.

Staff Report:
Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River Policy Coordinator, IRM
Guy Norman, Region 5 Director

PUBLIC INPUT (Above Item Only)
17. 2005-2006 SPORTFISHING RULES -- RULE ACTION:
The Commission will consider adoption of permanent amendments to:

- WAC 220-56-115, Angling--Lawful and unlawful acts;
- WAC 220-56-118, Fish handling rules--Removal from water;
- WAC 220-56-128, Food fish fishing--Closed areas;
- WAC 220-56-129, Unclassified freshwater invertebrates and fish;
- WAC 220-56-130, Unclassified marine invertebrates and fish;
- WAC 220-56-282, Sturgeon, Areas, seasons, limits and unlawful acts;
- WAC 220-56-310, Shellfish--Daily limits;
- WAC 220-56-315, Crabs, shrimp, crawfish--Unlawful acts;
- WAC 220-56-320, Shellfish gear--Unlawful acts;
- WAC 220-56-325, Shrimp--Areas and seasons;
- WAC 220-56-326, Shrimp--Unlawful acts;
- WAC 220-56-330, Crab--Areas and seasons;
- WAC 220-56-350, Clams other than razor clams, mussels--Areas and seasons;
- WAC 220-56-380, Oysters--Areas and seasons;
- WAC 220-69-236, Description of catch record cards and required information;
- WAC 232-12-619, Permanent Washington statewide game fish rules; and
- WAC 232-28-619, Washington food fish and game fish--Freshwater exceptions to statewide rules.

Public testimony was received on the rule proposals at the November 5-6, 2004, Commission workshop; no additional public input will be accepted at this meeting.
Staff Report:
Ross Fuller, Fish Management Division Manager, Fish Program

18. MISCELLANEOUS AND WORKSHOP DEBRIEF
The Commission will discuss items that arise immediately before or during the meeting and after the preliminary agenda is published.

19. OPEN PUBLIC INPUT
The Commission is a direct link between citizens of Washington and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. We encourage the public to share views of Department programs and issues of concern during this portion of the meeting.

1:50 PM ADJOURN



Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
2005 Open Public Meeting Schedule
January 14-15, 2005 Olympia
February 4-5, 2005 Olympia
March 4-5 Olympia
April 8-9 Moses Lake
June 17-18 Yakima
August 5-6 Spokane
October 7-8 Olympia
November 18-19 Vancouver or Stevenson
December 2-3 Olympia

Commission conference calls are also scheduled for the first and third Thursday of every month.


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Additional meetings, workshops, and/or conference calls may be scheduled when deemed necessary by the Chair and a majority of the members. Changes to this list will be posted on the website. Contact the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission office for further information.


*Preliminary agenda is subject to change. Agenda revisions and additional information are posted on the Commission web page. Contact the Commission Office with questions and to identify any special accommodation needs: (360) 902-2267, TDD (360) 902-2207.