I agree. I grew up (ok, got older) in Sacramento where summers regularly had 100s and after a year I got used to it. It was kind of like Seattle rain; you learned to deal with it. Fortunately it always cooled off in the evenings where we were. Now, I find 80 to be rather stifling. Hoping we can sit on a cool decl tonight.

Just noted this little ditty above

“ The Hoh River, a stream a little over 50 miles long, is divided into eight different zones, each with its own seasons, bag limits and gear restrictions.

In addition, it’s illegal to keep a hatchery salmon, as identified by a clipped adipose fin, in the Hoh River throughout the summer months.

On other waters, we are only allowed to keep salmon with a clipped adipose fin.“

The document has been produced to confuse and to question a fisher folk’s sense of following needed rules, so the anglers fishing there gradually quit and give up , while showing that the administrators are supposedly covering all conservational needs, but mostly CYA as co - managers of the resources.

It’s by design, and allows the government to hire more non essential agency administrators to write more crap regulations into an already strangling regulatory document

While not wanting to be totally defensive of the current regs, as they are rather messy, there is one overriding reason for the complexity and that is to provide opportunity. Given ESA listed stocks and species and/or a weak return on a non-listed stock (eg GH salmon that have missed escarpment for how many years) the simplest reg is CLOSED for the watershed. Makes for a small pamphlet.

You have areas above barriers with only resident fish? If there are no native char, this could be opened. But, you will have to list above each barrier.

Maybe you have a hatchery in the system. Downstream of the hatchery you could open for hatchery fish, if the wild fish could take the release mortality.

And so on. The regs are complex to (generally) squeeze out the most opportunity. On something like the Hoh, with parts in ONP, they may apply their rules.

Again, not say that WDFW doesn't need to clearly and transparently explain why there are such complexities but (at least in the past) complexity was so that folks could do some fishing.

Not fish but at least they got the guy.

Grays Harbor County man sentenced to 29 months in prison for big game violations

OLYMPIA – On July 1, a Grays Harbor County poacher was sentenced to 29 months in state prison, a $4,000 fine, and a two-year suspension of his hunting privileges, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

Randolph “Randy” Cox, 28, was charged with one felony count of possession of a firearm, six gross misdemeanors for elk poaching and wastage of big game, and one misdemeanor for criminal trespassing. Cox illegally harvested at least two elk in 2022 outside of legal hunting seasons.

On opening day of the 2022 modern firearm elk season, WDFW officers received a tip from a concerned hunter who had encountered Cox. The reporting party was assisting Cox with car trouble when Cox began bragging about the illegal harvest, claiming that hunting had been better the day before the season opener. Officers identified Cox, who officers had already encountered earlier in the year for an unrelated report involving an elk harvest, as the primary suspect based on the descriptions provided of the individual and vehicle.

A Fish and Wildlife Officer responded to the area where the reporting party had contacted Cox but was unable to find the vehicle. The officer spoke with other hunters in the area and requested they contact police if they saw the described vehicle.

Several hours later, one of the hunters contacted the officer stating they had seen the vehicle. Multiple officers responded and contacted Cox and others in the vehicle. The group, which included multiple parties without valid permission to be on the property, provided an inconsistent story that didn’t conform to state law or hold up to questioning. Eventually, Cox, who had already harvested an elk during an earlier season, admitted to shooting indiscriminately at an elk herd and retrieving a spike bull, which was illegal for the season.

Later, officers were able to locate a four-by-four bull elk that the group had harvested, failed to recover, and allowed to go to waste. Officers recovered the spike bull’s head but were unable to recover meat from the animal.

Fish and Wildlife Officers worked closely with the Grays Harbor Prosecutor’s Office to reach a favorable outcome for the severity of the violations committed. Additionally, the Department will seek a lifetime hunting suspension based on the egregious nature of the crimes.

Charges for one additional subject have been filed and are pending.
WDFW Police works to protect the public’s safety and to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.

In the joint for 29 months but only loses his privilege's for 2 years????

Get out...........Buy a license.

LMAO

It does say, at the end, that WDFW will seek a lifetime revocation of hunting privileges. I know that in some cases they can get other states to recognize this, too. But, on the other hand, if he already poaches, what good is suspension? Like all the folks who drive without licenses.

It is good to have PP back up after being down for several days!


Ah hell we lost a good guy.
It is with great sadness that I am letting you know that Jon “Jason” Pflughaupt, a Fish Hatchery Specialist 2, passed away Wednesday morning, July 17, while off duty.

Jason devoted 28 years to WDFW and was based out of Bingham Creek Hatchery near Elma. He was a kind-hearted, generous person who was always willing to help others. He was passionate about fieldwork and loved working at the hatchery. No job was too big or small for Jason; he would volunteer for any task, for the betterment of the agency.

Jason assisted the Bingham Creek Hatchery team with the propagation of fish to support commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries throughout the Chehalis Basin, the Washington coast, and beyond. He particularly enjoyed and excelled at the culture of juvenile salmonids, caring for populations from incubation through release, as well as maintaining hatchery infrastructure and the grounds he called home. Additionally, he had love and compassion for our co-op projects, particularly working on the net pens. His contributions to the agency and the greater fishing community have filled many creels over the course of 28 years. For those who worked alongside him every day and knew him well, Jason was not just a colleague — he was more like a brother. His hatchery family cherishes their memories with him, and he will be profoundly missed.

Our hearts and deepest sympathy are with Jason’s family and with all those who worked with him. Please offer support and grace to our Bingham Creek Hatchery, Region 6, and Fish Program colleagues.
I want to extend support to all of you, recognizing that this may bring up other feelings of grief from losses all too recent. Please be there for each other. We will get through this together.

I see WDFW is (again) recruiting a new Fish program Manger for the Region, You guys sure chew them up and spit them out.

The job pays well. Remember what Larry said years back at Bristol when the guy he favored did not take the job. The response back then was " are you crazy they still eat their young out there". Might have mixed up the words some but not much. The only guys I remember that could deal with Region 6 was RWS way back and Ron W and both are happily retired. By the way RW Stone was a pain in the ass to deal with but principled. Same goes for RW and he would set down and walk you through something not to change your mind but to allow you to understand the issue. What the Director needs is an Larry P he was as good as it gets. When you bring in someone like Cunningham it is telling because a guy like that will lead you down the rabbit hole.

What the hell happened to Loosee?

Regional Fish Program Manager - Region 6 - WMS Band 3 - Permanent - *08463-24
Salary
$97,112.00 - $121,440.00 Annually

Location
Grays Harbor County – Montesano, WA

Job Type
Full Time - Permanent

Remote Employment
Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number
2024-08463

Department
Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Opening Date
07/23/2024

Closing Date
9/3/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

DESCRIPTION
BENEFITS
QUESTIONS
Description
Regional Fish Program Manager - Region 6 - WMS Band 3 - Permanent - *08463-24 description image

Title – Regional Fish Program Manager, Region 6

Classification – WMS Band 3

Job Status - Permanent
WDFW Program - Fish Program – Fish Program Management Team
Duty Station - Montesano, Washington – Grays Harbor County

Region 6 Counties Served - Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, and Thurston



This recruitment will be posted until September 3, 2024 - application review is ongoing, submit your application materials as soon as possible. This recruitment may be closed at any time.



Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!


A large Chinook salmon jumping out of the water with a red and white fishing lure in it's mouth.
Photo Caption: Chinook Salmon – Photo Credit: WDFW



Embrace this leadership role, lead, control, and direct regional operations for fish management and hatcheries activities and projects, including the oversight of staff, budgets, and programs.



As a valued member of the Fish Program Management Team (FPMT), you will facilitate cross-region and program-wide coordination and communications.



Responsible for making region-specific recommendations pertaining to:

Fish resource conservation and protection issues.
Permanent and emergency fishing rule changes.
Intergovernmental relationships with tribal co-managers, other state agencies, federal agencies, and local government entities.
Briefing and making recommendations to the WDFW Director and/or the WDFW Commission, as needed, on significant regional issues that have major political or policy impacts.


What to Expect-

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Regional Fish Program Manager of Region 6 will,


Manage the Fish Program regional work units.
Responsible for analysis of local impacts, interpretation, and implementation of Department and Fish Program policies and procedures in the region.
Assist senior managers in the development of agency and program policy, procedures, and regulations while taking into consideration local concerns, conditions, and impacts.
Responsible for controlling regional Fish Program regional budgets, operations, and allocation of staff resources.
Regional lead for development of fishing regulations to protect, restore, and enhance fish and shellfish resources while providing sustainable recreational and commercial harvest opportunities to support regional and statewide economies.
Working Conditions:

Schedule: Overtime exempt, expected to manage time within a typical 40-hour work week; adjust schedule and work additional hours to meet business demands and deadlines. Telework options may be available.

Travel Requirements: Frequent travel to meetings in Olympia and to various locations in the eight counties within the region. Occasional overnight travel will be necessary to attend meetings both in-state and out-of-state.

Customer Relations: Continuous daily communication with a wide range of internal and external customers, colleagues, co-managers, and public stakeholders.



Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Fisheries, Natural Resource Science, or a related field of study.

AND

Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in natural resource management including the supervision of professional staff.



Competencies:

Well-developed communication skills, both written and oral.
An in-depth understanding of fish conservation and fisheries management principles, Endangered Species Act law, and leadership and administration skills.
Working knowledge of:

Advanced principles of management including development and implementation of policies/procedures and budgets, teambuilding, supervision, negotiation, personnel management, union collective bargaining agreements, oral/written communications, and leadership.
Principles of hatchery fish production and fishery management (recreational and commercial).
Biology and life history of Washington fish species applicable to the region.
The Fish Program, WDFW, co-manager (tribal), private and public utilities, and other fish/natural resource organizations/partners for effective communication and management.
State and federal statutes, court orders, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) applicable to fish resource protection, restoration, mitigation, enhancement, fishery management, and hatchery operations.
Values and perspectives of a diverse group of regional landowners, corporations, environmental organizations, constituent groups, and other fish population, fish habitat, and fishery stakeholders.


Preferred Qualifications:

In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess some or all the following:

Advance degree (Master of Science, or PhD) in Fisheries, Natural Resource Science, or a related field of study.

AND

Ten (10) years of professional level experience, including experience supervising/managing professional staff.



Your application should include the following:

A completed online application.
An up-to-date resume (chronological preferred) showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
At least three professional references with current contact information.


Supplemental Information:

In addition to pay and other special employee programs, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the “Benefits” tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.



Important Note:

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Regional Fish Program Manager - Region 6 - WMS Band 3 - Permanent - *08463-24 description image

Maybe me or SalmoG should apply.......If nothing else, that might raise blood pressures momentarily.

Blood ressure momentarily yes but I fear in some cases fatally!!

Then we should do it?

go for it

Would cost me my wife to apply....That, or she'd kill me outright.

Hah! For that nightmare?! Thanks, but I intend to remain gainfully unemployed, thank you!

Me too. I just think the initial panic would be fun.

And for you East county guys watching the work on the freeway this is not a surprise. Blockages effect many things besides salmon and are not good at all but if you think the millions spent between McCleary and Monte is going produce anything more than a handful of salmon your going to be wrong. My guess it is going to be in the hundreds of thousands per fish and like I said if at all. I worked for a lady when young and she was pretty political and her opponent was lets say not up to snuff. Her take on him was " sometimes you can't fix stupid ". I think that captures the culvert fiasco so far.



$4 billion spent, $4 billion more needed

WA nears a plan to remove key culverts for salmon

Mike Reicher

Seattle Times staff reporter

As the Washington State Department of Transportation spends billions of dollars removing concrete and metal pipes that block spawning salmon, another state agency is finally finishing a strategy to fix all the state’s fish migration barriers.

Department of Fish and Wildlife officials last week revealed key parts of a plan to prioritize which of tens of thousands of these man-made blockages would, if replaced, bring back the most salmon.

Without the strategy — which has taken more than four years to produce — the Inslee administration has been sinking billions into stream restorations that, in many cases, are ineffective or useless today.

Construction crews have ripped out the pipes, known as culverts, which run under state highways and replaced them with natural streambeds, but a Seattle Times investigation in March found the state was investing tens, even hundreds of millions of dollars, in so-called “orphan” culverts.

In many cases, The Times found that, even after the state removed a fish-blocking culvert, there were still barriers on those streams owned by other entities, effectively preventingsalmonfromswimming up to or far past the state’s expensive project.

Overall, WSDOT has spent or committed nearly $4 billion in removing barriers as part of a federal court order, and asked the Legislature last year for an additional $3.5 billion to $4 billion more to finish its list.

“I think there have been dollars spent at the state level for removing culverts that maybe weren’t as strategic as they could have been,” said Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Port Townsend, chair of the House Capital Budget Committee. “And to be honest, I think it’s eroding a little bit of public support for salmon recovery.”

The newly released prioritization system would begin with a statewide “mathematical optimization” — an algorithm — to determine which construction projects to begin first, in order to maximize public investment in salmon and orca recovery.

“Optimization tends to work very well across a very broad area where you have a large number of barriers,” said Phil Roni, a fisheries scientist contracted by the state to help lead the prioritization. He presented aspects of the plan to the state’s Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board, which awards grants for local restoration projects. The formula would consider the length of habitat upstream, whether a replacement would benefit Chinook salmon (which are food for endangered orca), and whether the project would help other threatened or endangered species. Also, it would prioritize culverts that are downstream of other barriers — to avoid “orphan” projects.

A federal judge ordered the state in 2013 to repair or replace its culverts blocking salmon and steelhead in Western Washington, whether or not there were other barriers on the same stream. A group of 21 tribal nations had sued the state because culverts cut off habitat forspawningsalmon,and the judge, Ricardo Martinez, found the state violated the tribes’ treaty-based fishing rights.

But the court order only applied to state-owned culverts, not the thousands of others blocking salmon across the state. They might be owned by cities, counties, railroads and other private parties. Any landowner with a culvert that blocks migrating salmon is technically violating state law, but today the state doesn’t force people to replace them, although the state is developing rules to encourage or force compliance.

In 2020 leaders in the state Legislature spotted the need to coordinate spending with the culvert removal projects under the federal court order, and called for the prioritization strategy.

“We really need to be comprehensive if we want to successfully recover salmon,” said Carl Schroeder, a fish barrier board member representing the Association of Washington Cities. “Hopefully [the strategy] will provide opportunities for some of our communities that just aren’t going to be able to do this without grant support or state support.”

After the Legislature asked for the strategy in early 2020, the COVID pandemic delayed planning. A state hiring freeze slowed the hiring of a fish passage strategist.

Still, some observers are frustrated it has taken more than four years to finish a report, while a gusher of government funds were available for culvert replacements.

In the intervening years, the federal government earmarked more than a billion dollars for culvert replacements under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and WSDOT spent billions of mostly state dollars replacing its own culverts. ManyprojectsinWashington won federal grants, but they weren’t necessarily the state’s highest priorities for salmon recovery or complementary to WSDOT projects.

Meanwhile,salmonpopulations have continued to decline.

Last summer, the state convened a panel of scientists to determine the best criteria and method to prioritize fish passage barriers. The science panel met eight times and came up with its draft recommendations this summer.

The state is spending about $418,000 on consultants, state fish passage strategist Jane Atha said.



CULVERTS from page A1 to A7

The state has been replacing faulty culverts at a cost of $4 billion, with another $4 billion needed to finish its list. WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The team, which includes consultants Triangle Associates and Cramer Fish Sciences, is also recommending regional salmon recovery groups score barriers based on specific criteria.

That local scoring, coupled with the statewide prioritization, would allow grantmakers to pick the best culverts and streams.

Atha and Roni acknowledged one key concern: data. Because culverts are so ubiquitous — think of the thousands of places in Washington where streams and roads cross — the state doesn’t have a complete inventory of all barriers on salmon streams.

Cities have surveyed their barriers in Western Washington, but counties, which have the most extensive roadnetworksandthusmore barriers, have not finished their inventories. Much work remains east of the Cascades.

“A prioritization strategy is really only as good as the data that it draws upon,” said Steve Manlow, who represents regional salmon recovery groups on the board.

There also isn’t a complete inventory of privately owned barriers, such as small dams used for irrigation.

What’s more, culvert assessments should be redone every 10 years to account for changing stream conditions and other factors, said Tom Jameson, fish passage manager at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The department has nine crews for surveying barriers, with two people per crew, Jameson said. He added that funding is limited for hiring new crews.

This month, the Department of Fish and Wildlife circulated a draft of the prioritization strategy among tribes, seeking feedback. Atha expects to have a final strategy by December, after public input.

It’s around that time the Department of Transportation will be back in front of the Legislature, revisiting its request for up to $4 billion more to fix the court-ordered culverts.

You know Pat does a good job of putting forth his views. Prior to retiring I worked for a gentlemen that was fond saying "I love beavers, they work for food, you don't have to pay overtime and they don't have a union!" For Coho beaver ponds can make or break a run.



A friend of the salmon — beavers work for free

Pat Neal

The Daily World

Being a guide on the rivers of the Olympic Peninsula calls for more than just a big hat, a rubber boat and a can of pepper spray.

You need to be in tune with your environment and understand the complex interactions of every facet of the ecosystem, between the tiniest insects and the largest trees in this wonder of nature we call the rainforest.

Once a person becomes one with nature, it’s disturbing to see the degradation of this pristine environment despoiled for profit by an uncaring industry with no regard for today’s tough environmental standards.

That’s why I became a wilderness gossip columnist. If I see something, I say something and the time for silence is over.

I remember it like it was yesterday. That’s because it was.

Floating the river, I noticed something was wrong with the water. A small tributary was pouring brown sludge into the crystal blue water. Where juvenile salmon had just emerged from their fetal gravels to embark on a journey that would take them to the far reaches of the northern sea and back to their natal stream. Where baby mergansers were trying to catch the baby salmon and not having much luck in the murk of the brown water.

Something was really wrong.

A small tributary was running mud brown sludge into the crystal blue water of the wilderness river.

I wondered what sort of environmental criminal would mud up a creek in this enlightened age of strict environmental legislation, so I walked upstream with blood in my eye to find out.

What I saw was a textbook example of environmental degradation.

Trees were being cut right on the shore of the creek. Whoever was cutting these trees must have been a real greenhorn.

You could tell from the high, ragged stumps that looked like something from the bad old days of logging when we didn’t care how much timber we wasted.

The trees were dropped right in the water, so it was no wonder the creek was running pure mud.

Even worse, whoever cut this timber didn’t even bother to truck it to town.

All of the wood was dumped in the creek and half covered with mud. It was an ugly mess that choked off the stream so tight not even a bull trout could wiggle through.

What was once a virgin stream in the pristine wilderness had been transformed into a stagnant pond with an unsightly brush pile sticking out in the middle of it.

“Beavers.” My fancy friend said. I knew that.

We owe the beavers a huge debt of gratitude. The history of America was financed by the beaver. The beaver paid with their hides.

The United States claimed what we now call the Pacific Northwest based on the discovery of the Columbia River by Captain Robert Gray in 1792, where he traded some iron chisels for 300 beaver hides.

This set off the treachery, slaughter and genocide known as the fur trade.

In 1849, two Hudson Bay trappers, John Everett and John Sutherland, were the first known, permanent Europeans to settle on the Olympic Peninsula. They paddled a canoe across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria to Crescent Beach, where they were adopted by the S’Klallam.

If you’re lucky, you can still find a beaver pond and watch them work.

Beavers are a friend of the salmon.

Beaver ponds are fish hatcheries. They offer a refuge from winter floods and summer low water.

Compare this to humanity’s lame, billion-dollar excuses for salmon restoration.

Beavers are not only smarter than people, they work for free.

Pat Neal is a Hoh River fishing and rafting guide and “wilderness gossip columnist” whose column appears here every Thursday. He can be reached at 360-683-9867 or by email via patnealproductions@ gmail.com.

Riverguy,

I saw that article regarding the culvert replacements. First, let me say that I favor fish habitat restoration. Second, like any structure, culverts have a limited useful life span and need to be replaced at some point. When that time comes, restoring fish passage is a good idea.

Now then, the culvert case between WA treaty tribes and WDFW/WA state was a simple case of low hanging fruit. We ain't supposed to block fish passage, but state and local governments have been permitting it for over a hundred years. So the case was a legal slam dunk, so to speak.

Nonetheless, I've been confused at how WA has been going about this. I thought habitat restoration for ESA species was the first priority. However, many of the culvert replacement projects are on waters where there are no ESA-listed species. Next, the projects were supposed to benefit Chinook salmon, but most of the culvert projects are on creeks not used by Chinook. Rather, they are coho and cutthroat trout streams, maybe steelhead in some cases as well. Lastly, the prospective benefits to fish populations are doubtful, or speculative, at best. The state and the tribes have indicated no intent to increase spawning escapement goals to take advantage of the restored access to habitat. And your point about the cost per additional salmon resulting from these projects is very likely spot on. Hundreds of thousands of dollars for each "new" salmon, in the odd case that any additional new salmon even happen, given that salmon management doesn't seem to be taking restored habitat into account. Maybe they actually know something about the probable increase to salmon populations.

I was talking with a friend who was aound the issue about the culvert work in GH Hwy 8 and evidently in the process list were submitted and QIN submitted those. Bottom line there was nothing about a cost benefit ratio. None of the HWY 8 culverts are on Chinook streams in fact other than Wildcat Cr ( near McCleary ) none are Coho or Steelhead streams.