Proposed Federal/Trump Budget Would Cut Game Wardens in Coastal States

[Oh Mah]

been trying to change the laws for over 30 years,if they don't care i don't care anymore about the fisheries. 

[Oh Mah]

lets do this differently,Native fisherman are fed. managed by enforcement not by wdfw wardens right?wdfw wardens don't have authority over the native fishers right?how many sport fishers get caught in a year over limit halibut?

[bigtex]

When they delay the halibut seasons so long as they do, they would be wasting their time trying to find sport fishers over the limit. My point is the feds aren't really patrolling sport fisherman.  Take that for what it is worth, just an observation.

The reason is because they pay the states to do the patrol work. You have federal fisheries, or protected fish in just about every county in the state yet less than 10 NOAA/NMFS Officers/Agents in WA, compared to about 130 WDFW Officers. Who would provide better coverage? Of course the state.

If you've ever been checked while fishing on a river or during halibut season the WDFW Officer is likely there using NOAA funds. If WDFW Officers had to wear NOAA uniforms while they were on "noaa time" you'd see how much federal fisheries enforcement they actually do. 

[Oh Mah]

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A PRETTY GOOD INCENTIVE FOR THE STATE TO START FINING ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITIES ACCORDINGLY INSTEAD OF A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR THE STEALING OF OUR RESOURCES.

[bigtex]

lets do this differently,Native fisherman are fed. managed by enforcement not by wdfw wardens right?wdfw wardens don't have authority over the native fishers right?how many sport fishers get caught in a year over limit halibut?

If a tribal member violates federal laws/regs then yes WDFW Officers do have authority over them as WDFW Officers are also deputized USFWS & NOAA Officers.

To your second questions this was WDFWs report to the International Pacific Halibut Commission for the 2017 season:

WDFW committed 16 commissioned staff toward halibut enforcement, for a total of 763 hours.  Their at‐sea activities encompassed: 555 at‐sea hours (370 at‐sea personnel hours and 185 at‐sea long‐range vessel hours). Their dockside activities encompassed 208 hours.  WDFW approximate funding applied toward halibut enforcement and management was $56,420.10 ($44,502.95 at‐sea operations and $11,917.15 for land‐based operations).  WDFW Officers accomplished 2,095 recreational contacts and 109 commercial contacts (including tribal), issued 201 warnings and 46 citations.

[bigtex]

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A PRETTY GOOD INCENTIVE FOR THE STATE TO START FINING ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITIES ACCORDINGLY INSTEAD OF A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR THE STEALING OF OUR RESOURCES.

CONTACT YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR. WDFW DOESNT IMPOSE THE PENALTIES, YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS DO.

[olyguy79]

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A PRETTY GOOD INCENTIVE FOR THE STATE TO START FINING ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITIES ACCORDINGLY INSTEAD OF A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR THE STEALING OF OUR RESOURCES.

CONTACT YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR. WDFW DOESNT IMPOSE THE PENALTIES, YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS DO.

[Oh Mah]

lets do this differently,Native fisherman are fed. managed by enforcement not by wdfw wardens right?wdfw wardens don't have authority over the native fishers right?how many sport fishers get caught in a year over limit halibut?

If a tribal member violates federal laws/regs then yes WDFW Officers do have authority over them as WDFW Officers are also deputized USFWS & NOAA Officers.

To your second questions this was WDFWs report to the International Pacific Halibut Commission for the 2017 season:

WDFW committed 16 commissioned staff toward halibut enforcement, for a total of 763 hours.  Their at‐sea activities encompassed: 555 at‐sea hours (370 at‐sea personnel hours and 185 at‐sea long‐range vessel hours). Their dockside activities encompassed 208 hours.  WDFW approximate funding applied toward halibut enforcement and management was $56,420.10 ($44,502.95 at‐sea operations and $11,917.15 for land‐based operations).  WDFW Officers accomplished 2,095 recreational contacts and 109 commercial contacts (including tribal), issued 201 warnings and 46 citations.

Thanks for clarifying that.

[Oh Mah]

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A PRETTY GOOD INCENTIVE FOR THE STATE TO START FINING ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITIES ACCORDINGLY INSTEAD OF A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR THE STEALING OF OUR RESOURCES.

CONTACT YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR. WDFW DOESNT IMPOSE THE PENALTIES, YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS DO.

Olyguy79 and bigtex I have as i'm sure 1000's of others have its not in the prosecutors hands or the judges as you say,the state is the one that can impose limits on fines.

[bigtex]

What federal fisheries laws do they enforce in WA.  I'm guessing it isn't me with my flasher and Coho Killer?

For officers to bill their time to the feds basically the officer needs to be in a place where there is a potential for a federal fisheries violation. So if your patrolling the Teanaway River when the ESA listed salmon are coming up you can bill your time to the feds even though you contacted one guy in 6 hours and he was trout fishing. If it's pink salmon season and you're contacting a hundred people fishing for pinks you can bill your time to NOAA if the ESA Chinook are running up the river at the same time.

Just a few more examples:
-Halibut are federally managed no matter where they are in WA
-Fisheries 3+ miles off the coast (mostly consists of commercial)
-Endangered Species Act (someone takes a protected salmon/steelhead/etc or if the Cowlitz opens for smelt are examples)
-Marketplace inspections (example: someone ships in halibut from another country/state and low and behold it's flounder)
-Anything in the Olympic Marine Sanctuary
-Lacey Act (interstate/international movement of illegally taken fish into/out of WA)
-Marine Mammal Protection Act (the main emphasis is on Orcas)

In 2011 (latest data I could find) WDFW Officers generated the following stats for NOAA/NMFS funded patrols:
• Contacts: 10,408
• Warnings: 1,211
• Citations: 897
• Physical/warrant arrests: 15
• Marketplace Inspections: 111

To go even further. In 2011 WDFW Officers worked 12,533 on federal fisheries work statewide. WDFW Officers work 171 hours a month. So just how much is 12,533 hours for WDFW? That would equate to a little over 6 officers working federal fisheries enforcement everyday for an entire year.

[bigtex]

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A PRETTY GOOD INCENTIVE FOR THE STATE TO START FINING ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITIES ACCORDINGLY INSTEAD OF A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR THE STEALING OF OUR RESOURCES.

CONTACT YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR. WDFW DOESNT IMPOSE THE PENALTIES, YOUR COUNTY JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS DO.

Olyguy79 and bigtex I have as i'm sure 1000's of others have its not in the prosecutors hands or the judges as you say,the state is the one that can impose limits on fines.

The legislature sets the maximum penalty, but the prosecutor and judge impose the penalty.

If a guy poaches a freaking doe they face up to 364 days in jail, a $5,000 criminal fine, and a $2,000 civil fine. That's what the state laws. So if a judge imposes a $500 fine blame the judge not the law.

[Oh Mah]

I'm saying the legislature needs to impose min. fines for the crimes,take that authority away from the judges.The state law is fine with its max,how do you like working several hours on a case costing the state 1000's over a freaking doe so the poacher gets a small fine?

You are arguing for the wrong results

[bigtex]

I'm saying the legislature needs to impose min. fines for the crimes,take that authority away from the judges.The state law is fine with its max,how do you like working several hours on a case costing the state 1000's over a freaking doe so the poacher gets a small fine?

You are arguing for the wrong results

When you actually explain it like that then yes I agree.

[KFhunter]

but it's irrelevant to the topic of feds withdrawing funds

[Oh Mah]

I will take that,I admit sometimes i'm not real clear but that is what i meant the whole time.