CHINOOK OBSERVER ARTICLE
Observers hope new hire's Idaho experience will have useful parallels in Washington
OLYMPIA — Dr. Jim Unsworth, deputy director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, was chosen Jan. 10 as the new head of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, replacing Phil Anderson.
“We may have a chance here,” said Tim Hamilton, president of the Twin Harbors Fish & Wildlife Advocacy, which was formed after settling a lawsuit with the fish and wildlife department last January over how salmon fisheries in Grays Harbor and Willapa are managed. He was at the meeting last weekend when the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission decided to hire Unsworth. The commission had interviewed eight candidates, narrowing that list down to four finalists. The commission members discussed the applicants in a closed, or executive, session. When the meeting continued in front of the public, Hamilton said they referred to the applicants as “Candidate A”, etc. “They kept talking about ‘D’ and what their anticipations and hopes for this man were,” Hamilton said. 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.
The department has come under a lot of fire in recent years, struggling to stay afloat, and, on the coast, weathering various fisheries management-related lawsuits. Hamilton has yet to meet Unsworth but is already hopeful. Based on Unsworth’s work over the last 30 years in Idaho, Hamilton feels Unsworth could bring a wealth of knowledge to a large, complicated state whose fish and wildlife department must juggle everything from coastal fisheries to inland wildlife hunts. “We know where he comes from and what his background is,” Hamilton said. “From my side, he’s real experienced in a state that has handled these things in probably a better way than Washington has been able to do.”
Kurt Beardslee, executive director for the Wild Fish Conservancy, an organization which has also filed and settled lawsuits with WDFW recently, hasn’t met Unsworth yet either, but is encouraged by the new director’s ecological background. “We’ll just have to see,” Beardslee said.
Commissioner confident
“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 and a part-time resident of Pacific County. “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.” “Everybody is hopeful, extremely hopeful,” Hamilton said. “You get a new face, someone who doesn’t have the baggage. Well, time will tell.”
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, 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 agreed to stay on as the head of the agency until a new director was 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.”
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