A briefing on the Puget Sound shrimp policy review and a meeting with the governor highlight the agenda when the state Fish and Wildlife Commission holds a special meeting Nov. 8-9 in Olympia.
Rich Childers, Puget Sound shellfish manager for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, will give the commission the shrimp policy briefing on Nov. 9. He will discuss preliminary analysis of spot shrimp fishery management options and draft language for a policy that includes fishery management objectives and resource conservation principles.
At its September meeting, the commission selected four spot shrimp fishery management options for further study after receiving input from commercial and recreational shrimp advisory groups. The options offer different breakdowns in how the state’s quota of the spot shrimp harvest is split between commercial fishermen and sports anglers. The recreational take of spot shrimp ranges from 50 percent to 75 percent in the four options under consideration.
The state currently manages a 50-50 split.
The commission will take public comments at the meeting and is scheduled to make a final decision at its December meeting.
At 1 p.m. on Nov. 9 the commission is scheduled to hold its annual meeting with Gov. Chris Gregoire. The nine commissioners meet with the governor to review and prescribe basic goals and objectives and to review the performance of the department in implementing fish and wildlife policies.
Also on the agenda, the commission will receive an update on Columbia River fishery management. Guy Norman, Regional 5 director, will brief the commission on the results of meetings with the Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife workgroup.
When: Nov. 8-9. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 8 and 8 a.m. Nov. 9
Where: Room 172, Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. SE, Olympia.
Information: You can find a complete agenda at tinyurl.com/9uartsg.




