Petition for Open WDFW/Tribal NOF Meetings

[Bay wolf]

A LOT of people are looking but not signing. Over on iFish for example, there have been almost 1800 views on two different threads.

I dont know if its because most dont have a clue about these kind of political details or maybe they just dont care or maybe they are afraid to post their email and name on-line.

It is quite possible that they (like me) don't understand to what end this is intended.

Not trying to be a killjoy or anything even close, but what is the intended purpose of opening these meetings to the public? I mean seriously - is that the long game, to be able to sit in with your lips zipped, phone off and hands folded so that you can listen in? Or do you have other plans..like being able to stand up and share your 'feelings' or 'frustrations' along with many others in hopes it would somehow change the way seasons are set.

My understanding of NOF is that a specific group of people are assigned the task of hammering out the upcoming season each year for sport, tribal, and non tribal commercial fisheries - based on guidelines presented them. I'm not sure how having their focus distracted or process interrupted is conducive to that process.

I could be a mile off on what the point of this petition is for - so am looking forward to hearing from the OP what the plan / most hopeful outcome is.

onmygame

Good questions!
Here's one of the major points we want to accomplish in getting these open.
As you're aware. The majority of our fishing seasons are set, following permitting by NOAA. Both the Tribes and the State (us) must have these permits in order to take any fish where ESA listed fish may be encountered.
The Tribes, under an executive order beginning under Clinton and amended in the Obama years, has the right to use a fast track process if certain conditions exist such as federal funding involved and multiple fed agencies. We do not. NOAA takes up to year to approve these permits IF they are not "Fast Tracked". The State has "piggybacked" our permits on the Tribes fast track in order to get them approved in time to get our seasons. The problem is, the Tribes have to agree with the State in order for this to happen. If not, we have to go it alone...you see the dilemma.

If the Tribes DO NOT agree, or they simply walk out, WE LOSE. They fish, we don't. This is what happened last year with Coho gate! They walked, we sat on the sidelines watching them net!

So why is getting into the meetings so important?
We believe the Tribes are using the permitting process as leverage over WDFW to gain concessions and have demands met that are above what the treaty allows. WDFW's stand is that any season is better than no season, so they keep giving and giving. And trying to cover up what is going on by prohibiting the public from getting into the meetings to see the tactics used. The End Game? Get a fair and equitable co-management process that does not give one party leverage over the other.
The first step is to get into these meetings!

[Larry3215]

If the meetings were open to the public, we could let everyone know exactly what goes on in there and how its being done.

Anything shady or unfair or illegal could get broadcast to the wider public - hopefully swaying public opinion in our favor. At the very least, both parties would hopefully feel more inclined to follow the law more closely.

In my opinion, no deals that have to be hidden behind closed doors are good deals for the public. They hide things for a reason. We need to get them into the open as a start.

[Bay wolf]

WE JUST GOT OUR 6OOTH SIGNATURE!! WE ARE CATCHING ON FIRE NOW!
THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR TREMENDOUS EFFORT WE ARE NOW AT 600 AND GAINING MOMENTUM! WE UNDERSTAND THE CCA OF WASHINGTON STATE HAS PROVIDED IT'S MEMBERS A LINK TO THE PETITION. WELCOME TO THE FIGHT!

WE CANNOT EASE UP NOW! THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS THAT ARE AS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS WE ARE, BUT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PETITION. WE OWE THEM THE HOPE! THEY DESERVE TO KNOW ABOUT THE PETITION. DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD!

TALK TO EVERYBODY YOU CAN, LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. THAT WE ARE STRONG AND GROWING STRONGER, ONE SIGNATURE AT A TIME. ASK THEM TO JOIN, SHOW THEM HOW TO SIGN. LET THEM KNOW WE HAVE A VOICE!
KEEP US GROWING THE FIRE!
LETS TAKE THIS TO 1000 STRONG!

[dwh4784]

I signed, heck I figure the worst the could happen is I piss off WDFW enough to check my license for the first time in my life. Maybe catch someone fishing worms at a selective gear lake I like to fish (Medical Lake). Not only do they bow to the tribes, they don't even enforce anything else that I've ever seen. 600 signatures reminding them that we are here and we care is great though.

[Bay wolf]

I signed, heck I figure the worst the could happen is I piss off WDFW enough to check my license for the first time in my life. Maybe catch someone fishing worms at a selective gear lake I like to fish (Medical Lake). Not only do they bow to the tribes, they don't even enforce anything else that I've ever seen. 600 signatures reminding them that we are here and we care is great though.

I like it dw! We're going to do a great deal more than piss them off, trust me. There are some things in the works that have got them freakin shaken!!

Stay tuned and stay active!! The movement is just getting started!

[Bay wolf]

We just got two really great pieces of news!

First, the petition has just gone over 700 signatures! This is a huge show of solidarity from the citizens of this state. We are seeing comments from sport fishermen, non-tribal commercials and regular citizens that are concerned about the fisheries and transparency!
Thank you again, for all the support from those who've signed to date and have encouraged others to join!

NOW THE REALLY BIG NEWS!!!

Your voice is beginning to be heard already, before we've even presented the petition!

On Jan 13, at the Commission meeting, they have put a discussion on Opening the NOF meetings on the agenda!

I will be there along with others to voice support and to represent everyone who has said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

If you can attend, that would be fantastic. If not, send in a comment to the Commission stating your support.

Here is the link to the Commission Agenda:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/ ... n0617.html

[Toni]

Not all of us can go but by signing the petition we can show our strength.


Read this to help you decide if you want to sign. This is from King tv 5


Fishing season decision process may change
Alison Morrow, KING 10:43 AM. PST December 28, 2016

The process that decides Puget Sound's fishing seasons may change next year after a controversial series of delays surrounding coho in 2016.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has requested a briefing by fisheries officials in January regarding The North of Falcon (NOF) process. They want information on the following: state and tribal laws; efforts over the years to address calls for greater transparency; case law on applicability of sunshine laws to fisheries negotiations; and recommendations on how to improve transparency.

Related: 2016-2017 Co-Managers' List of Agreed Fisheries

NOF is the annual set of spring meetings between state and tribal representatives that determine fishing regulations. In recent years, low returns of chinook and coho have changed the tone of NOF meetings. The process has taken longer and ignited animosity among sports fishing advocates who believe their voice isn't being heard. Tribal representatives defended their fight for river closures and reduced catch limits because they believe conserving fish populations now will save increasingly vulnerable returns for the future.

The briefing was requested by Commissioner Miranda Wecker, who says a letter from Twin Harbors Fish and Wildlife Advocacy prompted her action.

"I was motivated to think again about how our government has lost the trust of so many people who would otherwise naturally support our mission. It made me think about how we might regain that trust," she said. "In my time on the Commission, I have heard our constituents complain virtually every year about the secrecy with which the final decisions at North of Falcon process are made. We have called for improving transparency each year. This is not the only source of discontent and I have no doubt that our hard-working staff have looked for better approaches, but I see that little appears to have changed and people are still unhappy."

Tribal leaders oppose opening the meetings to the public, pointing to times in the past when they feel they were untruthfully criticized. They do not believe the government-to-government meetings are subject to sunshine laws.

Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Chair Lorrain Loomis sent KING 5 the following statement:

"The North of Falcon process is part of a longstanding legal obligation for the treaty tribes and state to co-manage fisheries under U.S. v. Washington. NOF involves government-to-government negotiations between treaty tribes and the state regarding how salmon will be managed for the coming year. The State of Washington, through WDFW, represents its citizens in these negotiations. It is the State of Washington’s obligation to inform its citizens regarding the outcome of these negotiations. Treaty tribes – as sovereign nations – are not bound by the state’s open public meetings laws. For a number of years tribes agreed to allow some citizen representatives to observe NOF negotiations. That practice ended after the observers publicly mischaracterized tribal and state negotiating positions, further complicating an already challenging process. We look forward to working with our co-managers in the upcoming NOF planning process in the hope of implementing conservative fisheries that will not hamper salmon recovery efforts."

This year, many insiders described relationships between tribal co-managers and the sports fishing industry as the worst it's ever been. Commercial fishermen took historic financial hits. Protests spread across Puget Sound.

Currently, citizens can go to meetings between WDFW officials and key interest group advisors, but state meetings with tribal representatives are closed to the public.

"We're looking forward to a much better outcome than last year," said sport fishing activist Frank Urabeck.

Urabeck sat in on the process for seven years as an advisor with the boating industry from 1996-2003. There was concern whether the state was adequately representing the public even then.

Fishing and hunting license fees could increase substantially next year, pending a vote by the state legislature. For Urabeck, the NOF process could have a huge affect on how the public responds to increased fees.

"I think everything should be open. We should be able to discuss things and go our respective ways in the end. If we don't have cooperation, everyone will suffer," Urabeck said. "The public is concerned. Are we paying more for less? I think we should do all we can to encourage people to participate."

All of the commissioners voted in favor of the briefing. Wecker says it's about giving all constituents access to democracy.

"It is true that transparency is not the only practice that improves government. But lack of transparency usually reduces the level of trust in government and fosters misunderstanding of government actions. People do not know why the decisions are made and what alternatives might have been available. Secrecy can also allow the development of dysfunctional interpersonal dynamics between parties. Negotiators may not be held accountable for the positions they promise to take in public, but did not in private. Some may even exploit the privacy of such meetings to bully or otherwise act without civility and honesty towards their counterparts and thereby gain a negotiating edge that would not stand the light of day," she said.

Copyright 2016 KING

[Bay wolf]

Thanks Toni!! Alison Morrow is currently working on a follow up. I've contacted her and she is VERY AWARE of our petition. I also sent her the link to the petition so she can look through the comments that many of you left and get a really good feel of how frustrated and angry we are. And how low the trust level in WDFW is.

She will let me know when the follow up story is supposed to air, so I will post an update here.


Toni, keep digging and keep up the fight. You're a great advocate!

[Toni]

I wish we would get at least 10,000 votes so they could see that many of the license holders are upset with the process.
Usually there are only a few hundred that can attend meetings or rallies. This is something we could do that does not take a lot of time on our part.

[Bay wolf]

I wish we would get at least 10,000 votes so they could see that many of the license holders are upset with the process.
Usually there are only a few hundred that can attend meetings or rallies. This is something we could do that does not take a lot of time on our part.

I know. When I think about how many license holder we have in this state, and the number of them that are truly fed up with the way business is being done, you would think we would be well, well into the thousands. I think part of the problem is we just aren't able to reach them. Our guys are doing a fantastic job, but there are a lot of people that we are just not able to reach....yet!

With the major clubs (CCA, PSA, Poggy ) and others out there and starting to pick up the petition, we are gaining momentum.

The other thing that I think we are running into is people don't want to put their email address and name on the internet when they sign. I wish I could explain to them that it's ok. We're not going to be sending them all kinds of junk mail. And they do have the option of opting out. They just won't get updates.

I'm open to suggestions on how we can increase awareness...

[Toni]

What PSA clubs?

[Bay wolf]

What PSA clubs?

We got a signature and comment from the President, East Jefferson Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers in Port Townsend. Although he did not say the chapter was endorsing the petition, nor did he mention that he was encouraging the members too.

Salmon University placed a very nice article in their News Letter today..I tried to find a contact email to send them a Thank You, but I couldn't get a good working email address for the Staff. Does anybody have one?

[Toni]

What PSA clubs?

Salmon University placed a very nice article in their News Letter today..I tried to find a contact email to send them a Thank You, but I couldn't get a good working email address for the Staff. Does anybody have one?

I saw that. Let me see what I can do

[Bay wolf]

WE ARE 16 SIGNATURES AWAY FROM 800! LETS GET THIS DONE!!


It is because of you, and all of us. This is truly a grass roots movement. We have no sponsors, no cooperate support, no mass media. We have each other...and because of that...we are stronger!

[Toni]

A LOT of people are looking but not signing. Over on iFish for example, there have been almost 1800 views on two different threads.

I dont know if its because most dont have a clue about these kind of political details or maybe they just dont care or maybe they are afraid to post their email and name on-line.

Isn't ifish mostly Oregon? Also this salmon thing doesn't affect/effect the columbia river which goes to eastern WA. Therefore, it is a western Washington issue.

[Larry3215]

Lots of Wa folks fish the Columbia and lots of Or guys fish Wa waters. Plus I thought NOF effected the Columbia as well?

[Bay wolf]

THIS EVENING AT 10:22 WE HAD OUR 800TH PERSON SIGN THE PETITION!

It is amazing yes, 800 people from all backgrounds, banding together to send a clear message that we are done with business as usual in our fisheries..you all have done a fantastic job getting the word out and giving others the chance to join the fight.

There is still work to be done. We have so many more people who are also frustrated and fed up with the secret meetings and failed co-management, but have no idea about this petition. We owe them the opportunity to join in with us and add there voice to ours.

Find a way to reach them. Dig deep, keep fighting, we have a chance to do something really good here.
_________________________
"Forgiveness is between them and God. My job is to arrange the meeting."

1Sgt U.S. Army (Ret)

[Toni]

Lots of Wa folks fish the Columbia and lots of Or guys fish Wa waters. Plus I thought NOF effected the Columbia as well?

It is but isn't affected by the tribal closed door meetings. Actually the hold outs were the Puget Sound based tribes. Remember Ocean Area 1-4 was settled months before the puget sound area

[Bay wolf]

Lots of Wa folks fish the Columbia and lots of Or guys fish Wa waters. Plus I thought NOF effected the Columbia as well?

It is but isn't affected by the tribal closed door meetings. Actually the hold outs were the Puget Sound based tribes. Remember Ocean Area 1-4 was settled months before the puget sound area

Toni, Whats at issue is not which areas are impacted, rather that the Meetings are taking place between State representatives and Tribal Co-managers without public oversight. These meetings result in the passage of laws and policies called WAC, allocating public resources without ANY pubic knowledge until after its all done. Since they are in closed door meetings, we really don't know whats being agreed upon. The co-managers in these meetings are representing the Treaty Tribes collectively, so just about anything can be on the table.

Last season, because of the issue of poor Coho forecast, there were multiple meetings. Yes, some issues were resolved quickly, others in continuation meetings never got resolved. But the public was still locked out of every meeting.

[Bay wolf]

WE JUST PASSED 900 SIGNATURES AND THEY CONTINUE TO GROW!

It looks like we have finally had ENOUGH of the games, lies and back room deals!

Thank you for signing and for sharing the petition.

PLEASE, WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP REACHING OUT AND GETTING OTHERS TO JOIN THE FIGHT!

LOOK AT THE POST "Printable WDFW Petition Flyer". It has a flyer that you can print off and pass out to people, or post it on bulletin boards. It will reach some that we have missed. Keep using the social media too, it's working, our numbers are growing and we are getting attention!