Over the weekend of November 13–15 in Lynnwood, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission focused on policies and updates affecting the state’s ecosystems, including land transactions, coastal steelhead rules, forest restoration, and the status of marbled murrelets. Sessions featured multi-committee meetings with WDFW Police addressing lawful shellfish management and presentations on public engagement strategies and avian predation of salmon, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Last Friday, the full commission held an open public input session before approving three land transactions in Benton, Cowlitz, and Skagit counties and extending a land use agreement with Skagit County Fire District #7 for Lake Cavanaugh Water Access Area. The commission also ratified a policy to protect resident native trout after more than two years of study and public consultation, as reported by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission met to discuss conservation and resource management. They approved forest restoration projects, reviewed the status of marbled murrelets and island marble butterflies, and aligned coastal steelhead fishing with conservation priorities. Last Saturday, they heard public input, discussed guidelines for large-scale solar and wind projects, and addressed a wolf translocation request from Colorado, directing Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to decline the request until Washington downlists wolves. The meeting ended with planning for future sessions. Materials and recordings are available on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings webpage. The Commission sets policies for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages the state’s fish and wildlife.
