Angling rules

What meetings do I need to attend in order to change regulations?

Oh boy here comes a good one!

probably should start with AA

No, save the AA meetings for when one gives up in frustration! One should probably start by developing a good relationship with a psychiatrist - someone to periodically bring you back to some semblance of normalcy.

For years WDFW had an annual opportunity for the public to submit rule change proposals. Very few of those which were submitted passed the initial staff review thereby making them in
eligible for further consideration.

Then Staff proposed to the Commission that the process be broken down into a rotating three year schedule to reduce Staff workload. The Commission approved with the result being that Marine and Shellfish regs would come up every third year. I believe the other two were East Side lakes and streams followed by West Side lakes and Streams.

As I recall that plan lasted for less than one full rotation with the last one to have been Marine and Shellfish. Instead it was changed to a Rule Simplification initiative. I believe that was in 2019. While that was intended to only be Staff submittals some were put in by the public to include one I put in late in the process. Although timely my submittal was not considered nor presented during the December 2019 Commission meeting in Bellingham as I was told that Staff needed to discuss it with LE. I was promised that my suggestion would be processed.

Well, it has been over nine months and despite several inquiries to that Deputy Director I have yet to receive any response indicating that my recommendation is being processed. That string has gotten so long my wife thinks I am a string hoarder.

Consequently, I have cancelled any further meetings with my shrink and am moving to self medication.

As to the OP's question it is seems clear that Staff/Commission have foregone any regularly scheduled opportunity for rule change proposals from the public.

However, there is an obscure process where WDFW can be petitioned for a rule change but I can't come up with the process right now.

Probably the most effective way to influence WDFW reg[setting process is to fish in other states and countries, taking your license money and general economic impact there. As Larry points out above, working with them in the defined "process" seems not to work.

I am afraid that that approach is too oblique for the powers to be to recognize - but I certainly understand the sentiment.

It is simply disingenuous for WDFW to spout how important it is to communicate with the public while progressively diminishing those opportunities.

If licenses are not purchased, they can't operate. Money is absolutely the only thing they understand or allow to impact decisions.

I really wish that they could see and acknowledge the connection.

They will not see it until they don't have the money.

The fishing pamphlet is a confusing mess, despite all well intentioned attempts by anyone trying to help correct it. Read retired officer Greg Haw's book, Confessions of an urban Game Warden. In it he lists the conflicts in the regulations and his frustration with the department ignoring his much needed suggestions. If a staffer who is not a fish biologist can't get consideration, a non-employee doesn't have a chance. If WDFW continues to fail to act, maybe the next best thing is to go to your legislator to get their attention in a private meeting. Maybe not.

WDFW continues to fail in salmon and steelhead management. I'm SURE that if we only raised our license fees everything would be okey dokey! (Tongue firmly planted in cheek here).

A staffer who was a fish biologist couldn't get consideration....

So - back to the original question. One method of initiating a change might be through one of the Advisory Groups (https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory) - at least in theory.

The reality is that WDFW does not have a policy nor a written guide for its operation of such groups. Yes, there is now a second iteration of a handbook for group members but nothing for its own managers.

One advisory group just recently had its individual webpage added but none of its last several semi-annual meeting minutes have been uploaded. One has to ask exactly how is that omission enhancing the public's understanding of factors leading to critical decisions? For that matter it also prevents an interested Commission member or legislator from being enlightened.

Since I am venting let me also point out that the new WDFW website resulted in over 30 years of Commission meeting electronic records having been "lost" to public access.

I try not to be a conspiracy proponent but one has to wonder......

I don't know, if you know the right people or are the right people it must not be too difficult to get the rules changed...

A decade or so ago a select user group was able to get a boating motor restriction through in the pamphlet that the locals promptly ignored. Part of which was because several existing docks and a boat basin were long used for "illegal" purposes. They clarified the regulation a couple years later, and a couple years after that the restriction disappeared completely.

If actually a rule change in the pamphlet it was possibly initiated internally by WDFW LE.

There are other regs in place with origins in rather obscure (I am being PC) LE rationalizations.

According to the newly-implemented regs at the time, several long-used docks and a boat basin couldn't be used with internal-combustion motors. I am pretty sure the VIP kayak/canoe crowd got that one initiated...Not LE.

WDFW can't ban internal combustion motors or boats. They can ban fishing from them, or hunting from them but their authority is fishing, hunting, and the conduct thereof. The County or City can ban motors, set speed limits, and such.

Well, not to start a argument but check regulations on 2 rivers that I'm aware of

1. Humptulips, above 101 bridge....P29, above 101 bridge, still there,,,101 bridge to Forks

2. Wynoochee, 7400 line, at new boat launch.....Interesting, it was there in a past "Sport Fishing Rules" but not there now

What they write in the pamphlet isn't the actual rule. If you want to run up and down the Hump with your internal combustion engine, and the county has no rule against it, then you can. Now, if you fish from that boat with the engine, you could get cited.

Experience has shown me that the folks who write the actual pamphlet don't always know the actual law or authority.

This is the rule for the Humptulips above 101 as in the WAC -220-312-020:


(i) From December 1 through March 31: It is unlawful to fish from a floating device equipped with an internal combustion motor.

Not if you value your tires, trailer tongue or windshield.

That is the truth! In the "old" days, I know of a jet boater on the Hoh who found his boat trailer tongue sawed in half at the end of his fishing day. Some called it vandalism, most others called it justice,

Note the reg quoted above said "Unlawful to fish from". The boats and motors aren't prohibited, just fishing from them.

I've recognized that for a long time. If one read the fine print in the old Game Dept. rules way before merger, I think it only covered Game Fish in those special areas. I dreaded the potential for someone fishing for Food Fish from a power boat on the Kalama. That would have been a calamity.

Yeah, it would have been interesting. Might make an interesting case, though, for a guy with only sl;amon in the boat and released any steelhead.

I have an inquiry into the Commission asking about the status of re-opening opportunities for the public to submt rule change recommendations. Will advise here of the results - if and when one is received.

Start by joining Puget Sound Anglers or another club that is involved with NW fisheries. Learn from those who have been on the front lines for awhile. I would start with Ron Garner.