Thanks for the run-down, Doc. Sounds like I picked the wrong day to be sick and miss the meeting. Very encouraged to hear that the paradigm is shifting in favor of conservation before allocation.

Hopefully, the QIN will be willing to compromise on the point of fishing in common with the non-tribal guys. That may be a tough row to hoe, but I think it's the key to getting more fish upstream.

Chair Wecker has her finger on the pulse of the situation, which includes conservation and transparency.

Conservation is the cornerstone of C-3608, which by all accounts the department has turned up its nose ignoring the mandate of the commission.

The department has undermined the commission’s intent of C-3608 and should feel the wrath of the commission going forward.

" That allocative responsibility is not ours, nor is it the gill netters… that's something the commission has to own. "

How true. Be it intentional or not it is the Commission that created this mess and they must repair the damage done to the resource and public trust. That simple that complex but absolutely necessary.

From this simple farm boy comes this thought. The Commission's position has been that they delegated harvest allocations to the Director. Fine but Commissioners you are still responsible for Mr. Anderson's actions! You are appointed by the Governor and you accepted that responsibility so it is time to step up and do your job.

NEWS RELEASE
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/

November 27, 2013
Contact: Commission Office, (360) 902-2267


Commission seeks comment on options
for Grays Harbor salmon management



OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will accept public comments during a meeting scheduled Dec. 6-7 in Olympia on draft policy options for managing salmon fisheries in Grays Harbor.

Also at the two-day meeting, the public will have an opportunity to comment on proposals that would increase the daily catch limit for walleye on the San Poil River and prohibit the use of internal combustion motors while fishing on a portion of the Naselle River.

The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. both days.

An agenda for the meeting is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/ .

Over the past month, state fishery managers have been working with a citizen committee and the public to develop draft options for a new policy to address conservation and catch allocation for Grays Harbor salmon fisheries.

The goal is to develop a policy that helps ensure spawning goals are met for wild salmon returning to the basin and to give anglers and commercial fishers a clearer picture of what fishing opportunities they can expect each year.

During the commission meeting, WDFW staff will provide a briefing on the development of the new draft policy options and additional opportunities later this year for the public to participate in the refinement of the proposed policy.

After receiving the briefing, the commission will then take public comment on the draft policy options, which will be available early next week on the department's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/grays_harbor_salmon/ . The website also includes information that was provided during recent public meetings, as well as a scheduled of upcoming meetings.

The commission is scheduled to hold another public hearing on the draft policy options during its January meeting in Olympia. The commission is scheduled to make a final decision at its February meeting in Olympia...

How is it that Phil Anderson operates as a one man Czar of Washington Salmon. The Commission puts this verbiage in a policy guideline which they then pass by vote, that simple. Then at the bottom of the document you see the paragraph that is below in this post that makes the director Czar. The entire document is in the other Chehalis thread.



Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
North of Falcon, Policy C-3608
Adopted Feb. 4, 2011
Page 1 of 3
FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
POLICY DECISION
POLICY TITLE: 2011-2012 North of Falcon POLICY NUMBER: C-3608
Supersedes: C-3608, 2009-2010 Effective Date: February 4, 2011
Termination Date: December 31, 2012
See Also: Policy C-3001 Approved by: ___________________________Chair
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, 02/04/2011




Delegation of Authority
The Fish and Wildlife Commission delegates the authority to the Director to make harvest
agreements with Northwest treaty tribes and other governmental agencies, and adopt permanent
and emergency regulations resulting from the agreements made during the annual North of
Falcon process.

Hmmm. Does that mean he can't make agreements, on his own, for slamon outside the NOF process? So, when NOF is done, the agreements are done?

Unless there's an "emergency".

or the CR 102 is different than NOF came with and then the WAC is the CR 102 regardless when passed.

I don't see how needing to change sharing is an "emergency". Changes in runsize, yes.

Redirect….

ATTENTION ALL…. There will be another commission meeting in Olympia this Saturday. Public input (testimony limited to 3 minutes max per person) on Grays Harbor will be taken. Show up at WDFW, Natural Resources Bldg Room 172 at 8:30 and sign pup to say you piece. Or at least attend to get educated.

I wish I could bring this video to the commission meeting... so they can see for themselves how just far we have come since 2010, if at all.

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkVB78F3rlE[/video]

I think about some of the comments in this video within the context of what's going on in GH today.

Is the new GH policy going to be limited to just another harvest/allocation algorhithm.... or will it be a new vehicle with a broad enough scope to guide genuine conservation and recovery for the next several decades?

OK all the draft for the Policy Guidelines for the GH Management Plan is out at least partway to the Advisers. So if you want it real soon rather than wait for it to get up on FTC website or WDF&W's PM me your E mail address and I will send it to you. Oh almost forgot 4 / 3 commercial days ( three net free days a week ) appears to be in it.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2013/12/agenda_dec0613.html

OK now it is up on WDF&W's website in the commission agenda for the Dec 7 meeting. A summary and the draft Policy Guidelines so take a look.

(three net free days a week) don't hold your breath!!! to much tribe $$$ will stop that!!!!

Pay attention now. This is the non treaty side and it is between WDF&W & the tribes if they exceed 4 days to work out escapement conservation. The entire GH management plan is about the non treaty share ( and escapement ) so for gods sake folks read before the tap tap.

There's promise for improvement in the draft, but there are far too many instances of the phrase "seek to" in there for my liking. We need to "seek to" get some of the key ones changed to "shall"s, IMO, if these changes are to have any teeth.

As I've said before, the Option A and Option B stuff is a waste of time and a distraction. The reality is that neither of those "options" is realistic, and they're probably going to be used passive-aggressively to make the point that the status quo has been an appropriate allocation model, assuming both state-managed fisheries get equal priority (which is the real problem).

Really don't like that clause at the end... Seems to me it renders the Commission's guidance little more than expensive lip service in the end.

The meeting is today at 8:30 AM at the Natural Resource Building.

I believe the US/Canada is what it is. NOF needs to focus for more terminal fisheries , escapement before harvest.

Smaller fish carry fewer eggs, with a lesser chance to survive, smaller size.

Just like in the service, It's not how many you Kill. If you kill the wrong side you are going to piss off a bunch of locals...

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2013/12/agenda_dec0613.html

The link i to the WDF&W website page for the GH Management Plan redo. The Power Point presentation is at the 9:00 AM point Saturday in the meeting to view. You will find the economic statement rather revealing.

What do they mean by "You cannot compare this recreational value with the commercial ex-vessel values?" Does that meant the $1.5M for recreational anglers is a total impact while the $218k for commerical is only the total cost of the catch? Factoring fuel and other costs would boost the commercial value?