Stand Up for the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission
News that affects Washington hunters and hunting...
On Wednesday, June 14, 2014 2023, case # 23-2-01831-34 was filed in Thurston County Superior Court against Jay Inslee, in his capacity as the Governor of the State of Washington; Barbara Baker, in her capacity as a Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; John Lehmkuhl, in his capacity as Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; Lorna Smith, in her capacity as a Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; Melanie Rowland, in her capacity as a Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; and Tim Regan, in his capacity as Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
This lawsuit was filed by Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation because the Commission was entirely out of balance and controlled by the radical environmentalists and animal-rights activists. This is a violation of RCW 77.04.040. The Governor is supposed to reach out to all user groups in making Commission appointments. He did not.
He certainly didn't reach out to the hunting community. The Commission can't be stacked in favor of any user group. and it was dominated by one block of stakeholders. Due to Commission influence and votes, hunters not only lost spring bear season, they are have been forced to deal with the radical Draft Conservation Policy C-700X that would redefine conservation to preservation, which would override the legislative mandate in RCW 77.04.012 and eliminate consumptive use. This is from Commission Chair Barbara Baker about Draft Conservation Policy C-700X:
“We’re gonna have to have discussions about what that means to the people who were yelling at us today or yesterday, because it fuels their fear where possibly it isn’t warranted. We aren’t going to turn our lands into parks. That’s not what the intention is of this. Maybe it is, maybe I just don’t know. So that’s a discussion we have to have.”
This just shows you how unhinged and radical this Commission is. Many believe that a lawsuit was the only answer. On behalf of the sporting community, Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation filed that suit. It is time hunters took a page out of the anti's playbook and fought fire with fire. Not suing just to be suing, but because they are doing the right thing for the outdoor community. This will be an expensive fight, but the right thing isn't always cheap.
On Wednesday, June 14, 2014 2023, case # 23-2-01831-34 was filed in Thurston County Superior Court against Jay Inslee, in his capacity as the Governor of the State of Washington; Barbara Baker, in her capacity as a Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; John Lehmkuhl, in his capacity as Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; Lorna Smith, in her capacity as a Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; Melanie Rowland, in her capacity as a Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission; and Tim Regan, in his capacity as Commissioner of the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
This lawsuit was filed by Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation because the Commission was entirely out of balance and controlled by the radical environmentalists and animal-rights activists. This is a violation of RCW 77.04.040. The Governor is supposed to reach out to all user groups in making Commission appointments. He did not.
He certainly didn't reach out to the hunting community. The Commission can't be stacked in favor of any user group. and it was dominated by one block of stakeholders. Due to Commission influence and votes, hunters not only lost spring bear season, they are have been forced to deal with the radical Draft Conservation Policy C-700X that would redefine conservation to preservation, which would override the legislative mandate in RCW 77.04.012 and eliminate consumptive use. This is from Commission Chair Barbara Baker about Draft Conservation Policy C-700X:
“We’re gonna have to have discussions about what that means to the people who were yelling at us today or yesterday, because it fuels their fear where possibly it isn’t warranted. We aren’t going to turn our lands into parks. That’s not what the intention is of this. Maybe it is, maybe I just don’t know. So that’s a discussion we have to have.”
This just shows you how unhinged and radical this Commission is. Many believe that a lawsuit was the only answer. On behalf of the sporting community, Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation filed that suit. It is time hunters took a page out of the anti's playbook and fought fire with fire. Not suing just to be suing, but because they are doing the right thing for the outdoor community. This will be an expensive fight, but the right thing isn't always cheap.