The other aspect of in-season reporting is that WDFW would actually have to use it. Again, back in the day, about 99% of any one day's commercial catch was available on computer and was used to make management decisions. If the commercial and/or rec catch was that available would you support WDFW's using it on a weekly basis for openings and closures?
The fish would.
Should also note that in the early years of Boldt WDF tried to manage the rec fishery on a day to day basis. Of course, they were also trying to manage for allocation and not "opportunity" but they gave it up as being unworkable due to too many changes confusing anglers.
Sure I would support electronic data being used to make in-season management decisions - but that data would have to have a significant statistical reliability factor which WDFW doesn't seem to be able to achieve with some of its existing recreational electronic/paper catch data reporting (crab) even with 50-60% of crabbers reporting on time and in the face of a $10 reminder for not submitting CRCs timely (they have set a return goal of 80%).
As to confusion caused by too many changes the ability to get the word out to the large number of recreational participants (versus commercial) is problematic. What recreational anglers and the industry they support desire is reliability in season settings. Sure, monitor data and if a serious problem emerges take action but I can't envision weekly edicts opening and closing seasons in various management areas to tweak the process.
The idea of having Commission sessions real-time to WDFW offices or via internet should be reasonably achievable. However, I think it would be more valuable to have the after the fact recordings include video as well as improved audio as it is often difficult to determine the source of comments from Commissioners.
Finally, Commission meetings should include opportunities for public input other than at the very beginning of the session (8:15). First, it is often difficult for the public to arrive at sessions early enough to catch that opportunity and, secondly, an end of day public comment period would provide opportunity for timely feedback on Staff presentations made earlier that same day.
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