Failure by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission to fulfill its mandate to maximize fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation is behind a bill that would eliminate the commission altogether. .
House Republican Representative J.T. Wilcox of Yelm says the change would address concerns about the commission’s overall effectiveness in serving those who cherish Washington’s natural heritage.
“They questioned whether or not we should be consulting with Washington’s tribes when we were making decisions about fish and wildlife. And it’s inconceivable to me that somebody apparently vetted by governor’s staff doesn’t understand that.”
Wilcox has asked the chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee to schedule a public hearing.
“That we provide the maximum amount of opportunity for people to sustainably hunt and fish. And that’s tribal members and nontribal members, and that it not what the Fish and Wildlife Commission is doing anymore.”
Wilcox says a public hearing would ensure everyone is heard in the conversation about the future of Washington’s fish and wildlife resources.
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