I think Doc about captured what was adopted yesterday and until it is posted nothing much to add on the verbiage. The thing is is this another leg of the journey that more or less is coming together in four stages. So the first steps have been taken so what is next one might ask? The harvest model & mortalities which Chair Wecker addressed Saturday.




This issue is being addressed almost daily as agency staff and the litigants work to finalize the time line as part of the settlement of the legal action taken by three East County citizens that was settled out of court. The entire settlement can be viewed here http://fishingthechehalis.net/nof-process but the points below are the most relevant at the moment.

a. Assist the Department in the planning, promotion, and implementation of a workshop to ensure that the release mortality rates used for preseason planning of commercial fisheries in Grays Harbor are based on the best available information (Workshop 1 -February 2014). After the conclusion of the workshop, the panel of independent fishery scientists (paid for through the independent account created and funded pursuant to paragraph 3, above) will summarize scientific studies presented at the workshop and provide recommendations on release mortality rates.

b. Assist the Department in the planning, promotion, and implementation of a workshop to review the performance identify improved methods for predicting the catch in Grays Harbor Basin salmon fisheries (Workshop 2 - February 2014). Panelists will present information on the performance of previous catch projections, propose improvements, and solicit additional suggestions to improve preseason catch projections.

c. Assist the Department in the planning, promotion, and implementation of four workshops designed to improve understanding of salmon fishery management in the Grays Harbor Basin (Workshops 3-6). The workshops would occur prior to August, 2014.

The third leg of the GHMP reform effort will revolve around incorporating the policy guidelines adopted into the verbiage & Tiers in the GHMP. One more time we all need to stay engaged and track this process as the agency has a real habit of taking a clear statement and giving it the " fuzzy wuzzy " treatment.

The final element will be when the 2014 NOF process goes forward to set seasons for 2014 based upon the reformed GHMP. I & others have gotten the infamous crystal ball out to look into the future and guess what, we do not have a clue. When everything outlined in this post ( and previous post ) are completed the fall salmon seasons are going to be different than in the past to be sure. Moving toward harvest management that places the fish and conservation first is not going to be painless for any of the users.

It is the price all will pay for the abuses by WDF&W in the past.

This is a article from the Montesano Vidette that provides additional information on the upcoming process that will be the bases for developing accuracy in the harvest model. It is part of the out of court settlement between WDF&W and the East County guys that sued over the 2013 settlement.


By Steven Friederich
Vidette Editor

OLYMPIA — The state Department of Fish & Wildlife has settled a lawsuit with three recreational fishing advocates from Grays Harbor, promising to demystify the regulatory process that governs the way fishing rules are made and enforced on the Twin Harbors.
Tim Hamilton of McCleary joined with Art Holman of Aberdeen and Ron Schweitzer of Elma to file the lawsuit last fall, alleging that state agency officials are allowing commercial gillnetters open season and unfettered access to gobble up salmon to the destruction of fish runs.

They had sought injunctions to shut down the commercial gillnetting season on Willapa Harbor and on Grays Harbor. The judge denied the injunctions, but said the lawsuit could continue.
The biggest win for the advocates is that the state Department of Fish & Wildlife will hire independent fishery scientists to see how often salmon are escaping the gill nets and actually making it upriver to spawn.

Recreational fishing advocates have said for years that commercial gillnetters, who who flank the river with 13 to 19 nets for several days at a time, are preventing a good number of fish from getting up the river to spawn or be caught by recreational fishermen, who pay annual fees to go fishing. Commercial gill nets are granted in excess of 80 percent of the salmon available for harvest each year. The gillnetters are only supposed to catch Coho salmon, but they often catch chum and Chinook, as well, which are supposed to be released back into the wild. But, records provided by Hamilton to back up his claim, that most of those salmon that are thrown back out into the Harbor end up dead and the state agency rarely meets its “escapement” goals in either the Willapa or Grays Harbor of salmon actually heading back upriver.

Meantime, the association for the gillnetters say they provide valuable jobs for the commercial fishing industry and help spur on the economy. The independent scientists, who will be chosen by both state Fish & Wildlife officials and a non-profit group created the three plaintiffs and “the scientists’ scope of work shall be jointly developed by the parties,” the settlement states. No one is accusing the Indian tribes, who also use gillnets, of doing anything wrong. The tribes are protected by special treaty.

The settlement calls on the state placing $15,000 into a special fund to pay for the independent review, as well as $15,000 to go to the new non-profit group, which Hamilton says is called Twin Harbor Fish & Wildlife Advocacy. “What we’ve done is set it up for an outside review, to look over what we’ve been saying all along,” Hamilton said. “We’re encouraged because the new rules being looked at makes sure that the salmon come first. Fish & Wildlife is moving forward with policy saying you will ensure we are getting enough of those fish back so the species survives for the future.”

The dispute the scientists will look at is how many salmon are really making it upriver and how many are just dying at the mouth of the river and are actually just surviving on paper, not in reality.
The settlement states that Fish & Wildlife will create a dedicated website “with a clear presentation of key information,” including catches, spawners and basis of spawner goals and the state agency will improve its pre-season salmon prediction and its in-season indicators on if the salmon are surviving. The non-profit group will work with the state Department of Fish & Wildlife to conduct town hall meetings around the Twin Harbors to better explain its rules and provide recommendations on the mortality of salmon.

“What I want to be able to do is go out and hold a minimum of four local meetings to teach the population on how these seasons are set and the fisheries are managed so they understand the processes and how it all works,” Hamilton said. In addition, the settlement calls for a better management plan to be developed for Willapa Harbor, mirroring the process that will take place for Grays Harbor. The Grays Harbor fisheries watchdog website set up by the Hamilton brothers Tim and Dave, shall continue to exist. Nicknamed Fishileaks, the website is at http://fishingthechehalis.net and has become a go-to-resource for those on the Harbor trying to make sense of the rule-making process being undertaken by the state Fish & Wildlife Commission.

“Rather than prolonging litigation, all parties have agreed to build on a shared interest in enhancing communication between the Department and recreational fishers, ensuring a strong technical foundation for salmon fishery management, and improving the integration of the North of Falcon fishery planning and the rules process,” a joint statement from all of the parties said.

“All parties recognize that salmon play an integral role in the commerce, recreation, and cultural identity of the people of the Pacific Northwest,” the statement adds. “This is particularly true along the Washington coast, where salmon are an economic mainstay for communities, a focal point for tribal life, and an important link between the ocean and interior ecosystems in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. The Agreement reflects a shared interest in the conservation of salmon in these basins and in building support for the salmon resources among commercial fishers, recreational fishers, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts.”

Anybody have any idea how the release mortality studies will be conducted? Seems like something that would be really difficult to measure accurately. Maybe they'll start with a mutually-developed set of assumptions about relative fish condition at the time of release? Maybe they will somehow tag gillnet-caught fish that are released to see how many end up in another net? Survey the river bottom for marked carcasses when the fishery is completed? How about the rec side? That seems to be the most challenging of all.

These are interesting, exciting, times. Cool stuff!

Radio or acoustic tagging to demonstrate progressive inland movement up the system.

Extremely expensive and labor intensive.

AK just spent 700K on the Kintama project for UCI.

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/877234/WAYWARD_salmon.html#Post877234

Knowledge costs money. If "you" don't want to invest in the studies as they cost toomuch then don't do selective fisheries and live with the consequences.

Commit and spend the money now for many yeas of happy returns.

The policy guidelines and the Power point presentation from the Commission meeting are out. If you want a copy e mail and I will send it. If you wait it will make up on the WDF&W website .... soon I think.



AND NOF FOR 2014

2014 North of Falcon schedule is now on the web: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/ . Dates are listed below. There will also be 2 workshops to attend, dates to be determined.


2014 North of Falcon
Public Meeting Schedule
March 3
2014 Salmon Forecasts and Fishing Opportunities:
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. Olympia.
• WDFW presents Puget Sound, coastal Washington and Columbia River salmon abundance forecasts. Fishery management objectives and preliminary fishing opportunities for 2014 are discussed.
March 8-13
Pacific Fishery Management Council:
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sacramento, 2001 Point West Way
Sacramento, CA.
• The PFMC adopts a range of ocean fishery options, including catch quotas for sport and commercial fisheries.
March 14
Grays Harbor Salmon Advisory Group Meeting:
• 6 p.m.-9 p.m. WDFW's Montesano office, 48 Devonshire Road.
• Public discussion of Grays Harbor salmon forecasts and fishing opportunities.
March 17
Columbia River Fisheries Discussion:
• 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Vancouver Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, Wash.
• Public discussion of management objectives and preliminary options for Columbia River fall commercial and sport fisheries.
March 19
First North of Falcon Meeting:
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. Olympia.
• Discussion of management objectives and preliminary fishery proposals for Puget Sound, coastal Washington and Columbia River area sport and commercial fisheries.
Grays Harbor Fisheries Discussion:
• 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Montesano City Hall, 112 N. Main Street, Montesano.
• Public discussion of Grays Harbor salmon forecasts and fishing opportunities.
March 20
Puget Sound Recreational Fisheries Discussion:
• 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Trinity Methodist Church, 100 South Blake Ave., Sequim
• Discussion of local salmon fisheries.
March 21
Willapa Bay Salmon Advisory Group Meeting:
• 6 p.m.-9 p.m. WDFW's Montesano office, 48 Devonshire Road.
• Public discussion of Willapa Bay salmon forecasts and fishing opportunities.
March 24
Public Hearing on Ocean Salmon Management Options:
• 7 p.m., Chateau Westport, 710 W. Hancock, Westport.
• Public hearing, sponsored by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, to receive comments on the proposed ocean salmon fishery management options adopted by the council during its March meeting.
March 25
Willapa Bay Fisheries Discussion:
• 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Raymond Elks Lodge, 326 Third Street, Raymond.
• Public discussion of Willapa Bay salmon forecasts and fishing opportunities.
March 27
Pre-season Columbia Basin salmon forecasts and fishery outlook:
• 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Benton PUD, 2721 W. 10th Ave. Kennewick.
• Public discussion of potential recreational and commercial salmon fisheries statewide.
April 1
North of Falcon Meeting:
• 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Embassy Suites Hotel, 20610 44th Ave. West, Lynnwood.
• Public meeting to present results of state-tribal negotiations and analyses of preliminary fishery proposals. With public participation, preferred options are developed for Puget Sound and Columbia River area sport and commercial fisheries.
April 3
North of Falcon Meeting – Columbia River & Ocean discussion:
• 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.
• Public meeting to present results of state-tribal negotiations and analyses of Ocean and Columbia River fisheries proposals. With public participation, preferred seasons are developed for Ocean and Columbia River area sport and commercial fisheries.
April 4
Final Grays Harbor/Willapa Bay Fisheries Discussion:
• 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.
• Public meeting to reach final agreement on sport and commercial salmon seasons for Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay.
April 5-10
Final Pacific Fishery Management Council:
• Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. Sixth Street, Vancouver, WA.
• PFMC adopts final ocean fisheries regulations and state-tribal fishing plans are finalized for all inside area commercial and sport salmon fisheries.

No Mill Creek meeting?

There was a thread on that earlier. Maybe we just need to trust R4.

A side note: The results of the study that estimates pre-spawn mortality of C&R fish (both commercial and recreational) has implications far beyond Grays Harbor. The potential to change how mark-selective fisheries are implemented on the Columbia Rv is huge. The Tribes have complained at length about the lack of reliable estimates of C&R release mortalities on the Columbia (recreational only, of course). This study might provide a glimpse of how close the actual release moralities are to the estimates used in the catch-balancing calculations. So, after many years of complaining, the Tribes might get want they've been asking for.

But, given that the study will also include gill net release mortality estimates, the Tribes might not like the results.....

Why? They don't release anything from a net. If the mortality rates go up on released fish, they get to kill more. As the rates go up the non-Indians fish less, leaving them more time on the river alone. A win-win.

Carcass - Not sure I understand your question......

As I understand it, the study that WDFW is doing will look at the survival rates of fish that are caught in gill nets, and subsequently released. (Ditto for recreationally caught fish.) I realize the Tribes don't intentionally release anything caught from their gill nets, but they recognize there is unaccounted losses from fish that drop out, or get thru the nets. But nobody has done a study to determine the survival rate of these fish. Presumably, the study on Gray's Harbor will provide some indication of the C&R survival of fish that encounter gillnets.

I realize it's the C&R survival rate from recreationally caught fish that the Tribes are most interested in.

Way back when a drop-out rate of 3% of the landed catch was applied to all (I and NI) gillnet fisheries. I don't know if that is still the case. At one time there was a push to include seal removals. Tribes were not in favor of this because set nets appeared to have more seal losss than drift nets (NI could only use drifts).

Some of the tribes are pushing for a 100% mortality rate on C&R steelhead.

I agree that we need significantly more work on survival post-release. We need to look at how the C&R experiance affects not only survival to spawning but spawning itself. Do they swim as far upstream, do the bury their eggs as deep, are the eggs as viable, does a steelhead successfully become a repeat spawner? This, and more, needs to be looked at.

No meeting for commercial fishermen also?

". . . Some of the tribes are pushing for a 100% mortality rate on C&R steelhead. . . "

Couldn't help but notice this. OK, that's just stupid. Mainly because I know of one tribal steelhead broodstock program that over 4 years experienced a 2% incidental mortality rate, and most would agree that the stresses of broodstocking (tubing, tank truck transport, raceway holding, and handling) exceeds that of CNR fishing.

Sg

May be stupid but that's the push.

NEXT UP:

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
February 18, 2014
Contact: Ron Warren, (360) 902-2799
Public meeting on salmon forecast
kicks off season-setting process
OLYMPIA - Anglers, commercial fishers and others interested in Washington state salmon fisheries can get a preview of this year's salmon returns and potential fishing seasons during a public meeting here March 3.
Kicking off the annual salmon season-setting process, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will present initial forecasts - compiled by state and tribal biologists - of 2014 salmon returns.
The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington Street S.E., in Olympia.
Those attending the meeting will have an opportunity to talk to fishery managers about the pre-season forecasts and participate in work sessions focusing on possible salmon fisheries and conservation issues.
WDFW has also scheduled additional public meetings focusing on regional salmon issues through early April. This series of meetings - involving representatives from federal, state and tribal governments and recreational and commercial fishing industries - is known as the North of Falcon process.
A meeting schedule and more information about the salmon season-setting process for Puget Sound, the Columbia River and the Washington coast is available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/ .
The North of Falcon process is held in conjunction with public meetings conducted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), responsible for establishing fishing seasons in ocean water three to 200 miles off the Pacific coast.
Final adoption of the 2014 salmon fisheries is scheduled for April 10 at the PFMC meeting in Vancouver, Wash.

I thought I would put up the new policy guidelines for those who hate links. You loose formatting going from a PDF to Word to PP but it is somewhat readable.


Commission Policy Documents
<< Commission Policy Documents Index

POLICY DECISION
POLICY TITLE: Grays Harbor Basin Salmon Management POLICY NUMBER: POL-C3621
Supercedes: N/A Effective Date March 1, 2014
Termination Date December 31, 2023
See Also: C-3608, C-3619 Approved by: /s/ Miranda Wecker
Fish and Wildlife Commission Chair
DOWNLOAD: Signed copy of POL-C3621 (PDF)

Purpose
The objective of this policy is to advance the conservation and restoration of wild salmon. Where consistent with this conservation objective, the policy also seeks to maintain or enhance the economic well-being and stability of the fishing industry in the state, provide the public with outdoor recreational experiences and a fair distribution of fishing opportunities throughout the Grays Harbor Basin, and improve the technical rigor of fishery management. Enhanced transparency and information sharing are needed to restore and maintain public trust and support for management of Grays Harbor salmon fisheries.
Definition and Intent
This policy sets a general management direction and provides guidance for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) management of all Pacific salmon returning to the Grays Harbor Basin. The Grays Harbor Basin is defined as Grays Harbor and its freshwater tributaries.
General Policy Statement
This policy provides a cohesive set of principles and guidance to promote the conservation of wild salmon and steelhead and improve the Department's management of salmon in the Grays Harbor Basin. The Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) recognizes that management decisions must be informed by fishery monitoring (biological and economic), and that innovation and adaptive management will be necessary to achieve the stated purpose of this policy. By improving communication, information sharing, and transparency, the Department shall promote improved public support for management of Grays Harbor salmon fisheries.
State commercial and recreational fisheries will need to increasingly focus on the harvest of abundant hatchery fish. Mark-selective fisheries are a tool that permits the harvest of abundant hatchery fish while reducing impacts on wild stocks needing protection. As a general policy, the Department shall implement mark-selective salmon fisheries, unless the wild populations substantially affected by the fishery are meeting spawner (e.g., escapement goal) and broodstock management objectives. In addition, the Department may consider other management approaches provided they are as or more effective than a mark-selective fishery in achieving spawner and broodstock management objectives.
Fishery and hatchery management measures should be implemented as part of an "all-H" strategy that integrates hatchery, harvest, and habitat systems. Although the policy focuses on fishery management, this policy in no way diminishes the significance of habitat protection and restoration.
In implementing the policy guidelines, the Department will work with the tribes in a manner that is consistent with U.S. v. Washington and other applicable state and federal laws and agreements.
Guiding Principles
The Department will apply the following principles in the management of salmon in the Grays Harbor Basin:
1. Promote the conservation and restoration of salmon and steelhead by working with our partners (including Regional Fishery Enhancement Groups and Lead Entities) to protect and restore habitat productivity, implementing hatchery reform, and managing fisheries consistent with conservation objectives.
2. Meet the terms of U.S. v. Washington and other federal court orders and promote a strong relationship with the Quinault Indian Nation. Spawning escapement goals, fisheries, and artificial production objectives will be developed and jointly agreed with the Quinault Indian Nation. The Department shall seek agreement with the Quinault Indian Nation to manage fisheries with the intent of meeting the Chinook and coho salmon spawner goals for the Humptulips River and the Chinook and coho spawner goals for the Chehalis River. Agreements between the Department and the Quinault Indian Nation related to salmon in the Grays Harbor Basin shall be made available to the public through the agency web site.
3. The Department will work through the Pacific Salmon Commission to promote the conservation of Grays Harbor salmon and, in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty, pursue the implementation of fishery management actions necessary to achieve agreed conservation objectives.
4. Within the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) process, the Department will support management measures that promote the attainment of Grays Harbor conservation objectives consistent with the Council's Salmon Fishery Management Plan.
5. In a manner consistent with conservation objectives, seek to enhance the overall economic well-being and stability of Grays Harbor Basin fisheries.
6. When establishing fishery seasons, the Department shall consider the anticipated impact of both Quinault Indian Nation and nontreaty fisheries in the Grays Harbor Basin.
7. In a manner consistent with conservation objectives, fishing opportunities will be fairly distributed across fishing areas and reflect the diverse interests of WDFW-managed fishers.
8. Recreational and WFDW-managed commercial fisheries shall be structured (e.g., schedule, location, gear) to minimize gear and other fishery conflicts. WDFW-managed commercial gillnet fisheries in a fishing area or aggregate area (i.e., Area 2A/2B/2D; or Area 2C) shall be scheduled, if possible, so that in any given calendar week there are a minimum of three consecutive days when no treaty or state-managed commercial fisheries occur. If the treaty fishery occurs 4 or more days in a calendar week, no WDFW-managed commercial fishery shall occur in the remaining days of the week.
9. Monitoring, sampling, and enforcement programs will adequately account for species and population impacts (landed catch and incidental fishing mortality) of all recreational and WDFW-managed commercial fisheries and ensure compliance with state regulations.
10. If it becomes apparent that a scheduled fishery will exceed its preseason catch expectation, and the overage will put at risk the attainment of conservation objectives, the Department shall implement inseason management actions that are projected to enhance the effectiveness of fishery management relative to the attainment of the conservation objectives and impact sharing in the preseason fishery plan.
11. Salmon management will be well documented, transparent, well-communicated, and accountable. The Department shall strive to make ongoing improvements in the transparency of fishery management and for effective public involvement. These shall include: a) clearly describing management objectives in a document available to the public prior to the initiation of the preseason planning process; b) enhancing opportunities for public engagement during the preseason fishery planning process; c) communicating inseason information and management actions to advisors and the public; d) seeking Quinault Indian Nation support for the inclusion of observers in co-management meetings; and e) striving to improve communication with the public regarding co-management issues that are under discussion.
12. The Department shall seek to improve fishery management and technical tools through improved fishery monitoring, the development of new tools, and rigorous assessment of fishery models and parameters.
13. The Department shall explore and pursue options to increase hatchery production in the Grays Harbor Basin in a manner consistent with the Hatchery and Fishery Reform policy (C-3619). These shall include:
a. The Department shall work with the public and parties to the Wynoochee Settlement Agreement with the goal of submitting to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by September 30, 2014 the Wynoochee Dam mitigation plan and initiate spending of the mitigation funds in an expeditious manner thereafter.
b. The Department shall seek restoration of hatchery funding cut in the Grays Harbor Basin since the 2007-2009 biennium.
14. When a mark-selective fishery occurs, the mark-selective fishery shall be implemented, monitored, and enforced in a manner designed to achieve the anticipated conservation benefits.
Fishery and Species-Specific Guidance
Subject to the provisions of the Adaptive Management section, the following fishery-and species-specific sections describe the presumptive path for achieving conservation objectives and a fair sharing of harvestable fish.
Spring Chinook Salmon
Subject to the adaptive management provisions of this policy, the Department will manage spring Chinook salmon fisheries consistent with the Guiding Principles and the following objectives:
1. Fisheries will be managed with the intent of achieving escapement goals for wild spring Chinook. In no case, shall WDFW-managed fisheries result in an impact of more than 5% of the return when the natural-origin adult return exceeds the spawner objective by less than 10%.
2. Prioritize freshwater recreational fisheries, with an objective of opening freshwater areas no later than May 1.
Fall Chinook Salmon
Subject to the adaptive management provisions of this policy, the Department will manage fall Chinook salmon fisheries consistent with the Guiding Principles and the following objectives:
1. Fisheries will be managed with the intent of achieving escapement goals for wild and hatchery Chinook. In no case, shall WDFW-managed fisheries result in an impact of more than 5% of the return when the natural-origin adult return exceeds the spawner objective by less than 10%.
2. The fishery management objectives for fall Chinook salmon, in priority order, are to:
a. achieve spawner goals;
b. provide meaningful recreational fishing opportunities; and
c. limit commercial fishery impacts to the incidental harvest of fall Chinook during fisheries directed at other species.
3. The following guidelines describe the anticipated sharing of fishery impacts in the Grays Harbor Basin between WDFW-managed commercial, marine recreational, and freshwater recreational fisheries. Variation from these guidelines may occur if it will result in fisheries that more closely achieve the stated purpose of this policy.
a. WDFW-managed commercial fisheries in the Grays Harbor Basin shall have the following impact limits:
&#61607; Areas 2A, 2B, 2D: the impact rate of the state-managed commercial fishery shall be 0.8% on natural-origin Chehalis fall Chinook when the impact of the recreational fishery is equal to or greater than 4.2%. The impact rate of the WDFW-managed commercial fishery may be less than 0.8% when conservation concerns for natural-origin Chehalis fall Chinook result in a less than 4.2% impact rate in the recreational fishery.
&#61607; When the terminal run of natural-origin Chehalis fall Chinook reaches an abundance of 18,793, the impact rate of the WDFW-managed commercial fishery shall linearly increase from 0.8% to a maximum of 5.8% at a terminal run of 25,000 natural-origin Chehalis fall Chinook.
&#61607; Area 2C: the impact rate of the state-managed commercial fishery shall be 1.2% on natural-origin Humptulips fall Chinook when the impact of the recreational fishery is equal to or greater than 3.8%. The impact rate of the WDFW-managed commercial fishery may be less than 1.2% when conservation concerns for Humptulips natural-origin fall Chinook result in a less than 3.8% impact rate in the recreational fishery.
&#61607; When the terminal run of natural-origin Humptulips fall Chinook reaches an abundance of 3,779, the impact rate of the WDFW-managed commercial fishery shall linearly increase from 1.2% to a maximum of 5.4% at a run of 4,070 natural-origin Humptulips fall Chinook.
b. Chehalis Fall Chinook. Fisheries shall be developed with the intent of achieving the following sharing of impacts within the recreational fishing sector:
Run Size % to Freshwater % to Area 2-2
Small 1 73% 27%
Large 52% 48%
c.
d. Humptulips Fall Chinook. Fisheries shall be developed with the intent of achieving the following sharing of impacts within the recreational fishing sector:
Run Size % to Freshwater % to Area 2-2
Small 78% 22%
Large 63% 37%
Chum Salmon
Subject to the adaptive management provisions of this policy, the Department will manage chum salmon fisheries consistent with the Guiding Principles and the following objectives:
1. Fisheries will be managed with the intent of achieving escapement goals for wild and hatchery chum salmon. In no case, shall WDFW-managed fisheries result in an impact of more than 5% of the return when the natural-origin adult return exceeds the spawner objective by less than 10%.
2. No fisheries directed at chum salmon shall occur unless the adult coho salmon return exceeds spawner objectives, or if coho salmon impacts remain after coho and Chinook salmon fisheries.
3. The following guidelines describe the anticipated sharing of fishery impacts between marine recreational and freshwater recreational fisheries. Variation from these guidelines may occur if it will result in fisheries that more closely achieve the stated purpose of this policy.
a. Fisheries shall be developed with the intent of achieving the following sharing of impacts within the recreational fishing sector:
Run Size % to Freshwater % to Area 2-2
Small >98% &#8804;2%
Large >98% &#8804;2%
Adaptive Management
The Commission recognizes that adaptive management will be essential to achieve the purpose of this policy. Department staff may implement actions to manage adaptively to achieve the objectives of this policy and will coordinate with the Commission, as needed, in order to implement corrective actions. Components of the adaptive management will be shared with the public through the agency web site and will include the following elements:
1. Annual Fishery Management Review. The Department shall annually evaluate fishery management tools and parameters and identify improvements as necessary to accurately predict fishery performance and escapement.

As a component of the annual fishery management review, the Department shall assess if spawner goals were achieved for Chehalis spring Chinook, Chehalis fall Chinook, Humptulips fall Chinook, Chehalis coho, Humptulips coho, and Grays Harbor chum salmon. If the number of natural-origin spawners was less than the goal in 3 out of the last 5 years (beginning in 2009), the Department shall implement the following measures:
a. The predicted fishery impact for that stock in WDFW-managed fisheries in the Grays Harbor Basin will not exceed 5% of the adult return to Grays Harbor; and
b. If a spawner goal for fall Chinook salmon is not achieved, the Grays Harbor control zone2 off of the mouth of Grays Harbor will be implemented no later than the second Monday in August and continue until the end of September.
2. Inseason Management. The Department shall develop, evaluate, and implement fishery management models, procedures, and management measures that are projected to enhance the effectiveness of fishery management relative to management based on preseason predictions.
3. Spawner Goals. The Department shall review spawner goals to ensure that they reflect the current productivity of salmon. The review shall be initiated with Chinook salmon in 2014.

To promote improved management of chum salmon, the Department shall include in the 2015 annual review an evaluation of options to improve chum salmon stock assessments. The Department shall subsequently initiate in 2015 a review of the spawner goal for chum salmon.
Delegation of Authority
The Commission delegates the authority to the Director, through the North of Falcon stakeholder consultation process, to set seasons for recreational and WDFW-managed commercial fisheries in Grays Harbor, to adopt permanent and emergency regulations to implement these fisheries, and to make harvest agreements with treaty tribes and other government agencies.
________________________________________
1. A small run is defined as a run size less than 110% of the spawner goal. A large run is defined as more than 182% of the spawner goal for fall Chinook salmon and more than 156% of the spawner goal for coho and chum salmon.
2.The Grays Harbor control zone is defined as an area at the entrance to Grays Harbor bounded by a line from the lighthouse 1 mile south of the south jetty to buoy #2 to buoy #3 to the tip of the north jetty to the tip of the exposed end of the south jetty.

What we have here is a E mail from Fish Program AD Jim Scott outlining coming events in the process to redo the Grays Harbor Management Plan. The final policy guidelines were attached along with two other documents. The policy guidelines are available on WDF&W's website along with having been posted in this thread previously. I or someone will get the other two documents up a bit later.

It has been a intense effort by WDF&W staff & the East County guys to finish all aspects of the Litigation but it is a done deal. So round two begins. Oh yeah almost forgot, if you want the actual e mail with the attachments hit me with a PM and I will forward it to you.



Grays Harbor Advisory Group Members –

I have several pieces of news that I believe are positive steps toward conserving Grays Harbor salmon and improving fishery management.

Settlement Agreement. The Department signed an agreement on Friday to settle litigation regarding the rules for the 2013 Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay commercial fisheries. As described in the attached summary, rather than prolonging litigation, the parties have agreed to build on a shared interest in enhancing communication between the Department and recreational fishers, ensuring a strong technical foundation for salmon fishery management, and improving the integration of the North of Falcon fishery planning and the rules process. The agreement includes several provisions that are consistent with suggestions we included in our January presentation to the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). These include the development of a Grays Harbor web page to clearly and consistently provide information on catches and spawners, and a series of collaborative workshops with stakeholders. I wish to be clear that these workshops will be developed with input from all of you – not just the parties to the settlement agreement – and all members of the public will be encouraged to attend the workshops.

Improvements in Technical Tools. We have discussed extensively during the last three months the draft Grays Harbor policy under consideration by the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). Our discussions have necessarily focused on higher level policy guidance and general management direction, but I have also heard you and the public express many technical concerns. Although all of those technical concerns may not be individually addressed in the draft policy, we have attempted to capture them in several of the guiding principles and in the adaptive management section.

For example, Guiding Principle 12 of the draft Grays Harbor Policy states: “The Department shall improve fishery management and technical tools through improved fishery monitoring, the development of new tools and rigorous assessment of fishery models and parameters.”

The 2014 fishery planning season is now quickly approaching, and I want you to be aware of three actions that will address some of the more technical concerns that I have heard from the advisors or the public.

Grays Harbor Planning Model. I have heard on several occasions that the Grays Harbor fishery planning model may have had computational errors in past years (I believe John Campbell may have been the first person that provided me with this information). As a step toward implementing Guiding Principle 12 and addressing this technical concern, I have initiated the contracting process to get an independent review of the model’s computational formulas. I hope to get that contract initiated next week - time is short before we start 2014 fishery planning!

Preseason Catch Projections. A second technical concern that I have heard is that our preseason catch or impact projections do not accurately capture the current fisheries or accurately project fishery impacts. The Area 2-2 recreational fishery is probably the example I hear most frequently. We view this issue as a good topic for the workshops that were discussed above and included in the settlement agreement. We’re targeting a February workshop and will be soliciting your ideas for how to make the workshop successful.

Release Mortality Rates. The release mortality rates used by the Department to project the mortality of Chinook salmon released in commercial fisheries is a third technical concern that I have frequently heard. This is a complex topic and, while the mortality rates for salmon released by recreational fishers have been the topic of multiple scientific reviews, I am not aware that the rates used by the Department for commercial fisheries in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay have had a similar scientific review. Accordingly, we have included in the settlement agreement a process to engage the assistance of independent scientific experts to provide us with recommendations. Again, we will be soliciting your ideas for how to make the workshop successful.

Well – its already noon on Saturday. I’m going to see if I can catch some of this beautiful day. Look forward to talking with you soon.

Jim



Grays Harbor Advisory Group Members –

I would like to thank all of you for your assistance in developing the Grays Harbor Basin Salmon Management policy that was adopted by the Fish & Wildlife Commission. I have attached the final policy and it is also available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/policies.html.

As I mentioned in my previous e-mail, we are working with the Twin Harbors Fish and Wildlife Advocacy nonprofit to conduct two workshops to improve the technical foundation for our fishery management. Here is an update on the current status of these technical workshops.

Preseason Catch Projections. We are convening a technical workgroup to review and improve our methods for predicting salmon catch or impacts in recreational and commercial fisheries in the Grays Harbor Basin. The workgroup will include three WDFW staff members, two technical experts from the Twin Harbors Fish & Wildlife Advocacy, and 1 position is open for a technical expert from the commercial fishing industry. During the next month, we anticipate that the technical workgroup will meet on at least two occasions to develop recommendations for improvements in our catch and impact predictions. We have scheduled a workshop for March 10, 2PM, Natural Resources Building, Room 172 for the technical workgroup to present their analyses and recommendations. Let me know if you have suggestions for how to help make this workshop successful. Additional information is provided in the attachment.

Release Mortality Rates. We are convening an Independent Fishery Scientist Panel (IFSP) to recommend release mortality rates to use in preseason planning of commercial fisheries in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay (additional information is in the attachment). We are fortunate to have secured the assistance of three great scientists: Lars Mobrand, Alex Wertheimer, and Steve Smith. Each of them has had a distinguished career with important contributions to fishery management. We are looking forward to working with them through the following steps:

February 19 – Background information provided to IFSP. This will include a literature survey of relevant studies, harvest rates and other fishery data, environmental data such as water temperature and salinity, and information on fisher behavior and compliance with rules.

February 26 – Workshop to present a summary of the information to the IFSP, allow the IFSP to ask questions, and provide an opportunity for the public to make comments. The workshop will include technical presentations from WDFW, the Twin Harbors Fish & Wildlife Advocacy nonprofit, and a slot is available for a technical expert from the commercial fishing industry. The workshop will occur in the General Administration Building, Auditorium, 2-5pm.

March 14 - IFSP provides draft report for 5-day review period.

March 26 – IFSP provides final report.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or Steve Thiesfeld if you have any questions.

Jim

So what we have next is the scope of work for workshops on commercial release mortalities. If you do not like C&P's not much I can do to help you with that as this & the next ( along with a previous post ) are the processes to reform the harvest model.



Scope of Work
Mortality Rates for Salmon Released in Commercial Fisheries in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay
Draft February 19, 2014

Task: The Independent Fishery Scientist Panel (IFSP) shall provide recommendations on the release mortality rates to be used in the preseason planning of commercial salmon fisheries in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. In reaching these recommendations, the types of information that the IFSP shall rely upon shall include the following:
• Fishery rules codified in the Washington Administrative Code.
• Reports and publications on release mortality rates in Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and in other locations with similar fisheries.
• Fishery data including encounter rates, harvest rates, and the condition of Chinook salmon released.
• Environmental data including water temperature and salinity.
• Fisher behavior and compliance with rules.

IFSP Report: The IFSP final report will address the following questions and include the rationale for each response:

1) What are the recommended mortality rates for Chinook and chum salmon released in the fisheries described in Table 1 and with fishers complying with the applicable rules and the practices described in the Fish Friendly workshops?

Table 1. Fishery locations, time periods, gear, and WACs for consideration by the IFSP.

Fishery Location Time Period Gear Rules
Grays Harbor (areas 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) Weeks 40-48 Gillnet, 6 1/2” maximum mesh WAC 220-36-023
Grays Harbor (areas 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) Weeks 40-48 Tangle net, 4 ¼” maximum mesh WAC 220-36-023
Willapa Bay (areas 2M-2T) Mid-August through mid-September Gillnet, 9” maximum mesh WAC 220-40-021
WAC 220-40-027
Willapa Bay (areas 2M–2T) Mid-September through October 31 Gillnet, 6 ½” maximum mesh WAC 220-40-021
WAC 220-40-021

2) For these same fisheries, what are the recommended mortality rates for Chinook and chum salmon released taking into consideration actual practices in the fisheries?

3) If any mortality rates differed between your responses to questions 2 and 3, what were the major compliance issues that were the source of this difference?


Process:
February 3-4: Identify candidates for Independent Fishery Scientist Panel (IFSP) (Scott, Hamilton).
February 3-14: Solicit information from the commercial fishing industry relevant to the mortality rates for salmon released from commercial fisheries (Scott)
February 3-14: Compile information relevant to the mortality rates for salmon released from commercial fisheries (Scott, Hamilton).
February 5 – 7: Contact candidates for IFSP and determine availability (Scott).
February 10: Select IFSP members (Scott, Hamilton).
February 11-14: Complete contracts for IFSP members (Scott).
February 19: Provide questions, schedule, and information package to IFSP (Scott).
February 26: Conduct workshop with presentations to the IFSP (Scott, Hamilton).
March 14: IFSP provides draft report.
March 19: Comments provided to IFSP (Scott, Hamilton)
March 26: IFSP provides final report.
March 28: IFSP final report posted to Department website.

Workshop Format
1) The workshop will be conducted in Olympia on February 26, General Administration Building, Auditorium, 2PM.
2) The length of the workshop will be approximately 3 hours, with the following format:
• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Technical presentations (20 minutes Department; 20 minutes technical representative from nonprofit organization; 20 minutes technical representative from commercial fishing industry)
• IFSP questions and answers (60 minutes)
• Public comments (30 minutes, 3 minutes maximum per commenter)