| |
Orcutt bill would give Fish
and Wildlife Commission
access to independent input
Kalama lawmaker says third-party data
could have helpedwith response to 2006 elk deaths
Rep. Ed Orcutt has
introduced legislation that would specifically authorize the state Fish
and Wildlife Commission to seek scientific information and opinions on
deer and elk management from sources other than the state Department of
Fish and Wildlife.
“The commission is an independent group, and I’d like it to seek
independent opinions instead of having to rely on bureaucrats who may
have limited information or a desired outcome. I have to believe there
are times when obtaining the services of a scientist outside WDFW could
provide better information and help the state make better management
decisions. My legislation would make sure the commission has that
authority,” said Orcutt, R-Kalama.
“We hear time and time again about the need to base decisions about
natural resources management on the ‘best available science.’ This is a
step in that direction,” added Orcutt, who serves on the House
Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
Orcutt’s bill is prompted by an experience he had with the commission
and WDFW last year, after a constituent notified him that hundreds of
elk in the state-managed Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area were dead or
dying of starvation. The area is in Orcutt’s legislative district, so
after going and seeing the elk situation himself, he reported his
observations to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
“Unfortunately, the commission had only two sources of information about
the elk deaths: a consulting forester who happens to be a state
representative, which would be me, and the higher-ups at DFW, who had
reason to challenge my observations and the conclusion I reached – that
the Mount St. Helens herd was being mismanaged,” Orcutt explained.
“The commissioners took my report seriously, and I’m still working with
the agency to improve management of the Mt. St. Helens herd. But I am
concerned that similar wildlife management decisions are being made in
other areas of the state with limited information. I have to believe
hiring independent biologists to offer opinions based on independently
collected data, or at least a review of the WDFW data, might result in
better outcomes. One of the commissioners mentioned how they depend on
WDFW for the information they use in making management recommendations.
My bill will help ensure they have the best information possible,” said
Orcutt.
Orcutt suspects negative publicity about the elk deaths in the Mt. St.
Helens area spurred WDFW to finally adopt, in December, an updated plan
for managing that herd, after almost 10 years of drafting and
redrafting. He has mixed feelings about some of the plan’s provisions.
“Many of us in Southwest Washington suggested reducing the size of the
elk herd in the area to reduce competition for forage, and it looks like
that will happen. I’m not a fan of winter feeding, and was told by WDFW
that the agency wasn’t either, but feeding is in the plan too.
“Judging from its press release, WDFW thinks the most newsworthy part of
its plan is to close public access to the wildlife area annually from
December 1 through April 30. They say it’s to reduce harassment of the
elk. What they don’t mention is that closing the area through April also
prevents the public from seeing how many elk are dying from
malnourishment, which is what I saw in April 2006,” Orcutt pointed out.
“The department downplayed the elk deaths last year as being ‘normal
winter kill’ – that there was no problem. But if there had been no
problem, drastic changes like winter feeding, population reduction, and
prohibiting public access wouldn’t be necessary,” he said.
If Orcutt’s measure becomes law, the Fish and Wildlife Commission would
be required to send an independent biologist into units like the Mount
St. Helens area to collect information that would be submitted directly
to the commission, not to WDFW. The commission would be required to
compare the independent report with the corresponding department report,
and present its findings to the appropriate committees of the
Legislature.
“I’m proposing that the focus be on deer and elk to begin with, as a
pilot project, and we’ll see how it goes. It will be like a performance
audit,” Orcutt concluded.
# # #
|
|