Recently, I have received several "Requests for Public Comment" from the Department. Many of the people who post on this forum have much more knowledge that I do with respect to the Department's workings. I am curious what you think about what appears to me to be an increase in these requests. Does the Department leadership really want to have input from us or is this merely something to make them look good? I express no opinion but simply pose the question.

it's to make them look like there doing something with the public.. they could care less what we say!!

I think they are interested in what people think simply to know what groups / individuals think about any given issue. This is not to be confused with these comments having an impact as the agency will do what it deems appropriate regardless of what the public opinion is.

Waste of breath to a defunked agency IMHO.

Would it be better if they don’t ask?

I realize that asking the public for their opinion sets up an expectation that such input will result in identifiable changes to public policy. But that may not be realistic.

Public policy is usually established by factors far beyond public perceptions. Legal and political factors likely play a bigger role, as we’ve discussed on this BB many times. But that is the way government operates. WDFW may very well want to go in a particular direction, based on public input, but they can’t due to factors beyond their control.

But at least they are asking the public, and taking input. It would be great if that input results in positive changes in F/W policy but I’m not naïve enough to think it will. In other words, don’t hold your breath.

But I'm glad they're asking nonetheless.

It would be the same.

There are a couple aspects of asking for public input. The most important, to me (and most often ignored) is to have clear and transparent responses to comments. The comments should be the time to educate the public as to the real "why" for an action. In my experience, when we, the staff, sat down with the fishermen both in group and one on one settings and explained why things happened, they at least understood if not agreed. And, there were times that the dialogue resulted in movement in the fishermen's direction as they were right. Both sides have to be capable of, and willing to, learn and change.

They should just call their pension advisor.

Perhaps all they care about.

03/12/2021

IMO.....Just a way for WDFW to be "able to sleep at night" by being able to say "they allowed public input"....then go on and do what WDFW wanted to do in the 1st place.


I actual believe that during NOF that WDFW has 99% of what the NT/Sports season will be, BEFORE any of the meetings actually start.....

If one is any good at modeling then Drifter is right, the manager's know the majority of the seasons. The pencil sharpening will come one the fringes where this year's limiting stock collides with desired fisheries on both sides. But, yeah, I would even suggest that after the run for a given year has been reconstructed (including escapements) that the fishery when they come back can be at least broadly described.