This is so tiring... The charade that WDFW is fairly representing the sport fisherman is being swallowed by so many. When all the signs point to the exact opposite. It doesn't take a lot of digging to see how the rec. fishermen is being fooled into thinking they are an equal party in the fisheries management.

The WDFW points to the Fish advisory boards as the bridge between the rec's and the department. Well, look who is the interface between the two. Take a look at who is the WDFW lead on the Puget Sound Fish Advisory Board:

Puget Sound Sport Fishing Advisory Group
Mark Baltzell
Puget Sound Salmon Fishery Manager
Coordinator
360-902-2807
mark.baltzell@dfw.wa.gov

Now read what he replied when asked to provide the time the Tribal/WDFW North of Falcon meeting was starting:

"...If you are wanting to know the time and location of any planned co-manager meetings for that week, I cannot help you. Doing so would not only betray any trust that I have built in my relationships with co-managers, it would also violate the obligations I have as a representative of the State of Washington. I understand your desires for transparency, but I will not be the one that enables your endeavors.
As always, if you have specific questions or ideas about fisheries, I am a great listener.
Kind regards.

Mark E Baltzell"

Clearly, he is telling us that the Rec's trust and his responsibility to represent us is not his priority. AND HE IS GOING TO BE REPRESENTING YOU IN THE NORTH OF FALCON!

When we sat down with the Dir. and Ron Warren, we were told that the departments strategy for dealing with the tribes is to "cooperate and wait". In other words, keep giving into the tribes and someday they will give back. It hasn't worked yet and it won't work. It results in us losing a piece at a time. But the way the department gets away with it is by keeping us in the dark.

We thought the Commission had finally gotten the wake up call when the Department completely by passed them by working with the tribes to craft the RMP in secret. Commissioner Carpenter even publicly scolded the Director, and Unsworth was let go. But now what. The Commission got pissed when it impacted them, but could care less when the department continues it's practice against the rec's.

And now as we move into yet another North of Falcon with the doors closed in the faces of the largest group of stakeholders in the state, we have gained nothing but lip service from the Commission and Department. They are liars! They tout support for the Rec's and make all the noise to build the facade, yet do nothing to change business as usual. This might piss off some of the people who have drunk the cool-aid, but the truth is, the Department and to some degree the Commission do not support transparency, in some cases they work hard to make sure the public is not told all the facts.

You can attend all the public NOF meetings you want, but in the end, ask the WDFW representatives and they will tell you. All your idea's and recommendations and suggestions and public input in the world still comes down to what the tribes allow! And that all takes place in the Tribal/WDFW NOF meetings, in which the departments policy is to "COOPERATE AND WAIT"!

We are losing our sport and our fish a piece at a time. Just like the frog in the pot with the water being warmed slowly, we will eventually be boiled and never leave the pot.

The first Tribal/WDFW closed door meeting is scheduled for the 22nd of March, at the Lacy Community Center. Wonder what would happen if someone showed up and wanted to sit in? Public property, public employees meeting to discuss public resources that result in laws that result impacting all the citizens in the state...