Adding a third-party oversight panel into fishery and hatchery issues that already receive multiple levels of review has convinced the state board of the Puget Sound Anglers to oppose Gov. Jay Inslee’s $187 million salmon recovery strategy.
The set of policy and legislative proposals was introduced by Inslee during a ceremony in La Conner last month that also honored Lorraine Loomis, chair of the Northwest Fisheries Commission and a Swinomish Tribal member who died in August.
Puget Sound Anglers members object to the Washington State Academy of Sciences as that third party, saying in a letter to Inslee that it would “only increase bureaucratic requirements, resulting in greater attendant critical time delays and therefore significantly add to the cost of salmon recovery, but also duplicate much of the authority and science input already being provided by Tribal Nations and Federal, state and local government agencies.”
Northwest Sportsman’s Andy Walgamott explained in a long-form article that the Anglers’ group is being consistent in its objections.
“It’s a direct echo of PSA’s reasoning and support early last year for removing a similar group from the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission’s unanimously approved updated hatchery policy that aims in part to increase salmon and steelhead production to benefit starving southern resident killer whales.
“Hatchery management plans are drafted by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribes such as the Lummis, Tulalips and others and then — in the case of federally listed stocks — reviewed and tweaked or approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service.”
In the letter to Inslee, board President Ron Garner said, “There is no demonstrable need for this organization to be given the prominent role [as] currently envisaged. As the leading largest recreational fishing organization in Washington state, we cannot support this proposed strategy in its current state and will oppose it for the reasons given above and other shortcomings we have found.”
WSAS would be tasked as part of the governor’s Salmon Recovery Office to be “an independent science adviser panel to coordinate a statewide science, monitoring, accountability and adaptive management approach for salmon recovery.”
The group’s role is outlined in Inslee’s plans: “Reaffirm key questions for salmon recovery; Identify clear objectives and measurable outcomes; Work with agencies to ensure data collection aligns with measurable outcomes; Establish clear triggers and benchmarks for our key strategies; Work with tribes and the state to compile data and reports on the progress; Develop and promote complementary, integrated and flexible approaches to collect, analyze and share monitoring information within and across sites, watersheds and regions; Provide agencies with leadership, coordination and technical assistance to deliver an adaptive management program.”
Inslee vetoed creation of a similar panel to advise Fish and Wildlife and tribal salmon and steelhead managers on management decisions.
“The state and tribal co-managers already utilize a robust scientific process to manage salmon. This proviso adds unnecessary review and administrative burden on the co-managers,” Inslee wrote in his April 2020 veto message.
Lots of things have changed since spring of 2020 it appears.
As part of the $187 million in requested funding, $123 million would go toward habitat restoration. A total of $5 million is directed at hatchery restoration with another $2.2 million set aside to design and permit a new hatchery facility on the Deschutes River, a stone’s throw from the state Capitol in Olympia.
While this plays out in the background, House Bill 1653, which concerns “improving statewide coordination in support of anadromous fish recovery,” has been pre-filed in advance of Monday’s start to the 2022 legislative session.
To read the bill, visit www.app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?billnumber=1653&year=2022.
Under the bill, which is co-sponsored by House Natural Resources Committee chairman, Rep. Mike Chapman (D-Port Angeles), “an independent science panel shall provide scientific review and oversight,” with the state’s goal being to “support the recovery and enhancement of salmon and steelhead stocks in order to support Washington’s tribal treaty obligations, support nontribal commercial and recreational fisheries and achieve the delisting and recovery of threatened or endangered salmon and steelhead runs under the federal endangered species act.”
Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladaily news.com.
