State to make decision on spring bear season

OLYMPIA — The state Fish and Wildlife Commission will make decisions on spring black bear rule-making, commercial shellfish rules, land transactions, and hear briefings on the 2022 season-setting process when it meets this weekend.

The virtual sessions begin today, Thursday, March 17, and continue through Saturday, March 19.

The commission will have a wildlife committee meeting Thursday to hear a briefing from state Department of Fish and Wildlife staff on the 2022 hunting season.

Staff will also discuss the game management plan planning processes.

The fish committee will also meet today to discuss proposed updates to commercial shellfish regulations, continued Willapa Bay policy development and an implementation preview of the salmon and steelhead hatchery policy approved last year.

On Friday, March 18, the full commission will consider approval of land transactions recommended by the agency.

Fish and Wildlife employees plan to recommend the following land purchases, removing them from private ownership:

1,035 acres in Thurston County of prairie-oak woodland and wetland habitat

1,513 acres in Douglas County

94 acres in Pacific County for access tp Nemah beach and 300 acres of tidelands. Additionally.

While wanting to take more than 2,000 acres out of private ownership, agency bureaucrats are recommending the transfer of 3.5 acres to the city of Sultan, in Snohomish County, for water access.

Commissioners will also hear a variety of briefings Friday, March 18, regarding landowner hunting permits, big game general seasons and special permits, migratory waterfowl seasons and regulations, hunting equipment rule changes, and chronic wasting disease.

To conclude Friday’s meeting, the commission will decide on proposed revisions to commercial regulations for shellfish.

On Saturday, March 19, the commission is expected to make decisions on spring black bear special permits rules.

It is also expected to elect a new chairman.

To conclude Saturday’s session, the commission will hear a presentation from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation on the status of the Blue Mountain elk herd.

Agency staff will also provide a related briefing.

Public comment periods are slated for Friday and Saturday.

Washingtonians interested in providing verbal public comment can pre-register on the agency’s website.

All sessions will be conducted online and be available to the public to watch or listen via webinar or conference call.

The meetings will also be recorded and posted online.