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2020 Legislative Session

5K views 55 replies 22 participants last post by  c-dawg 
#1 ·
The session begins today. WDFW has a supplemental budget request before the Legislature, and Gov. Inslee has sent them a proposal to increase hunting and fishing license fees. I have my opinions on the matter, and you probably have yours. I urge you all to contact your district Senator and Representatives and also the members of the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources, and Parks Committee that will hear and vote on the request. I plan to hit them every two weeks through the session since there is a lot on the agenda competing for their attention. You might want to do the same.

Here's my concise letter; feel free to copy & paste if it suits you too.

Dear Senator,
Representative,

Recreational angling in Washington State is important. I am writing in regard to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) supplemental budget request and how poorly it fits with the Department’s treatment of sport fishing. WDFW is requesting a supplemental budget appropriation of $26 million to “fully fund” Department functions and activities. I support only $2.5 million of this request, to be explained below.

Unfortunately the Department is in a state of dysfunction. Since 2015 it has been proving that fisheries co-management with the treaty tribes is broken. Co-management is successful only when both parties share equal power in negotiations. The Department piggy-backs on the tribal-Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Section 7 Endangered Species Act (ESA) permit that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) approves. This gives the tribes disproportionate power during co-manager negotiations. In order to be included in this permit the Department caves to every tribal demand regarding sport fishing seasons. The Department isn’t working and can’t work for sport fishers unless and until it secures a discreet ESA permit instead of piggy-backing on the tribal permit.

WDFW closes recreational angling when treaty tribes demand it because without that ESA permit, there would be no non-treaty fishing in Puget Sound or its tributary rivers. Recent examples include closures on the Skagit, Stillaguamish, and Green,Rivers and Lake Washington. The Department has claimed the closures were necessary for salmon conservation, but investigation reveals that tribal coercion is the cause. I do not oppose treaty tribal fishing, but at less than 2% of Washington State’s population, the tail should not wag the dog. The Department must get its own ESA permit.

Governor Inslee has proposed that you raise hunting and fishing license fees this session. Under the present circumstances of the Department reducing sport fishing opportunity, such increases are not appropriate, and I oppose the Governor’s request.

I mentioned that I support $2.5 million of WDFW’s supplemental request. That increment is for fishery monitoring. NMFS requires monitoring where fishing seasons overlap the presence of ESA-listed fish. Absent the monitoring, WDFW will simply close even more recreational angling opportunity. Therefore, the $2.5 million is essential just to maintain existing angling opportunities for Washington’s recreational angling community.

Thank you for your attention to this issue during a short session crowded with many issues of importance to Washington’s citizens.

Sincerely,
 
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#55 ·
Add to your letters a note about the forthcoming closure of the Chehalis system. 6 more weeks of lost opportunity in an area that represents about half the state's remaining steelhead fisheries (or at least hosts about half the anglers). Should save WDFW a bunch on enforcement. Not an outcome that screams for more funding.
 
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