This is who was offered the gig:

James Unsworth
Deputy Director - ID fish & game

From IDF&G website:
Jim Unsworth has spent 32 years in wildlife management before his current appointment, which he has held since 2008. He has held several management positions for Idaho Fish and Game, including wildlife bureau chief and state big game manager.

Unsworth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management from University of Idaho, a Master of Science degree in fish and wildlife management from Montana State University and a doctorate in forestry, wildlife and range sciences from the University of Idaho.

8 commissioners voted.........all voted for conformation of the new WDFW Director.

All 8 commissioners spoke very highly of the this individual.......he was not there, so the general public has not met him.........but we will !!!!!!!

Another important event today was the change in the commission. The new chair is Brad Smith replacing Miranda Wecker.

So how is the new directror going to be? Pro com/sport? pro hatch /wild? And same for the new chair. It seamed Miranda was fair and more for the sport side of it all?

More information on him.....hope he does well.


January 10, 2015

Contact: Commission Office, (360) 902-2267

Commission selects Unsworth as new director of WDFW

TUMWATER - Dr. Jim Unsworth (see photo ), deputy director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, was chosen today as the new head of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to select Unsworth after interviewing eight candidates for the director's position in December and narrowing the field to four finalists. The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for WDFW, announced its decision at a public meeting Jan. 9-10 in Tumwater.

Unsworth, who will replace Phil Anderson, formally accepted the job today.

Commissioners said they sought a visionary leader with a strong conservation ethic, sound fiscal-management skills and the expertise to work collaboratively with the commission and the department's constituents.

"After a thorough nationwide search, we're confident Jim is the right person to guide the department through the many challenges that lie ahead," said Miranda Wecker, chair of the commission. "His solid understanding of natural resource issues and strong leadership skills will be invaluable in the department's effort to manage and protect the fish and wildlife resources that are so important to the people of this state."

As director, Unsworth will report to the commission and manage a department with more than 1,600 employees, and a biennial operating budget of $376 million. His annual salary will be $146,500.

Unsworth, age 57, has spent more than 30 years in wildlife management with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and has served as deputy director for the agency since 2008. He previously held several management positions for the department, including wildlife bureau chief and state big game manager.

Unsworth holds a bachelor's degree in wildlife management from the University of Idaho, a master's degree in fish and wildlife management from Montana State University and a doctorate in forestry, wildlife and range sciences from the University of Idaho.

"I'm thrilled at this opportunity," Unsworth said. "I look forward to taking on the many exciting challenges that come with managing fish and wildlife in the state of Washington."

Unsworth and his wife Michele have four adult children. He is an avid hunter and fisher.

Unsworth will replace Anderson, who announced in August he was resigning from his position at the end of 2014. At the commission's request, he has since agreed to stay on as the head of the agency until a new director is in place.

"Phil's enormous dedication to managing Washington's fish and wildlife will truly be missed," Wecker said. "As director, he was a tireless worker who successfully guided the department through one of the most difficult times in the history of this state. Under his leadership and with his support, the department made important progress in meeting some very challenging issues. We are extremely grateful for his service and all the contributions he made during his career at WDFW."

Wecker said a statement of appreciation for Anderson will be posted in the next week on the commission's webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/

Unsworth was there. Sitting on the right side of the room about half way back as you were looking forward. Black sport jacket.

I am liking the comment about him being an "avid hunter and fisher".

I had lunch with Brad Smith a couple years ago. He is a good guy. Smart and levelheaded, similar to Miranda Wecker. Smith fishes and hunts. And I also like the fact that he's local to me...within my reach! :P I liked Wecker alot. I assume she's still on the commission. Hopefully.

Nice to see Larry Carpenter in a bigger role in the commission too. Excellent guy.

I'm very interested to learn more about Unsworth. Not sure it matters, but I do like that fact that he's from east, and not Oly or Seattle (nothing against those places).

I tentatively say that these are good developments.

I think it is interesting that the new Director's education is in Wildlife, which is way different from most of what we have in WA in quite a while.

He has spent alot off time educting himself, time will tell how he does. Any of you Idaho boys know any thing of him?

All I know is that Idaho has it figured out in regards to managing fish and game populations, and everybody involved fishes and hunts.

Its night and day difference between WA and ID. The fisheries in Idaho are managed very soundly. Nobody is sniveling about hatchery fish over here

I do not know about Dr. Unsworth but having grown up hunting and fishing in Idaho I think he will come from an entirely different perspective than that of Western Washington. This could be an exciting new direction for WDFW. My observations about the environment he comes from are:

1. Idaho is the political polar opposite of King County.
2. Fishing in Idaho is all recreational.
3. Idaho F&G is mostly about managing big game.
4. Wolves decimated the elk herds and caused a reduction in out of state hunter$.
5. Wolves are not popular in Idaho.

Because they have decimated a lot of Elk heards as you mentioned. The big difference in Idaho is F&G fought to no end to have seasons on them and to manage the populations for co-existence with the elk population. In Wa, you would have all the bleeding hearts protesting and suing over their beloved furball and the elk populations would crash and that would be the end of that.

Idaho also has to deal with WA/OR on commercial and Rec take on Idaho bound salmon/steelhead in the lower Col...

A different perspective is indeed needed in Wa... Tough road ahead

It is a interesting choice. The Commission has said that future harvest will be conservation driven. In Grays Harbor it was installed last year and Willapa is going through the trauma of developing it now to be completed in April. Mr. Anderson was about maintaining traditional harvest which was NOT necessarily conservation driven. So the Commission has us setting off down the path conservation driven management, has selected a Director that appears to have a back ground built around conservation driven harvest be it game or fish. That this is about to be interesting is more than a little understatement. It is going to be truly entertaining when this all collides with the world of our state legislators!

I wonder how the new Director will feel about the perception that Idaho anglers get totally screwed by Oregon and Washington harvest in the LCR?

Fish on...

Todd

Perception? When does perception become reality?

I think that there is a lot of reality in that perception

I also suspect that the view from the west looking east is a lot different than the other view.

Fish on...

Todd

Commission sets policy and direction... Director executes

I didn't realize the new director was in the room.......must have been "his call" to keep the low profile.......maybe to get a feeling from the different comments from those that chose to speak, give testimony!!!!

The scales of Justice have been in favor of the NT netters but scale is starting to tip in favor of fish conservation and "in river fishermen". The new director will hopefully continue to follow Commission policy.

This, and I will be pleasantly surprised if the outcome of that collision doesn't look a lot like the status quo. The Leg. holds the purse strings, and they will support those who support them. Unless who supports them has changed, that means we can expect more management decisions with a commercial bias.

All that said, there are reasons to be optimistic, and as long as that's true, we might as well be that way. Hoping this leads to meaningful change, if a bit skeptical.