Opportunity To Comment On The Skagit WA Use Plan

[T-Bone]

In my younger days, I was near every weekend of the waterfowl season, walk-in tidal waterfowl hunter at the Skagit WA. Now in E. WA for a decade and a half, I still miss those days of reading a tide chart and getting out on the marsh. I would encourage all waterfowl hunters to attend this meeting or Email the Wildlife Area Manager (as I will). I would hope improved access for walk-in waterfowlers would be voiced by more boatless guys than just me:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/mar1419a/

[kodiak10]

I would really like to make it to this meeting. I had a lot of fun this season at skagit and also am a walk in guy. I hope more people will join us as well.

[h2ofowlr]

This would be a good meeting to attend to voice your frustration with the state.  Them having this meeting shows the gears are turning and it will probably follow suit as League Is and HQ.  If this isn't stopped, next will be the Samish Unit in the next 5-10 years.

[Stein]

Yeah, the pressure to "restore" these places will only increase as the new story line of native salmon being the only solution for Orcas is further developed and cemented.  WDFW is already tilted in that direction and increased pressure will certainly make it a department policy.

[Special T]

The department owns another island next to farmed segment near Mill Town. Why wouldn't they turn that into salmon habitat instead of the farmed island that has improvements already done to it?

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[Stein]

It is the direction they are headed.  They weren't forced to do the restoration, they chose to do it.  They are also choosing to not replace the access elsewhere, it's a huge net loss for waterfowl and hunters with a minuscule to nonexistent benefit to fish or fishermen.  It may even be illegal as they have used DG and PR money.

This is one of the problems with WDFW, they don't act on behalf of the fish and wildlife or the people that pay for the departments operations or even consider the best science.  They are acting to push an agenda which isn't consistent with their charter.  The result is feel good projects like "restorations" which destroy opportunities and habitat in hopes that salmon will use it.  They are willing to extract a huge cost to sportsmen on a remote gamble that it will move the needle on salmon.  Meanwhile, they roll over and play dead on proven techniques like hatcheries that the rest of the sane world uses to manage and boost salmon numbers.

I don't know if you follow them, but their YouTube just had a crazy video about how salamanders are helping with global warming.  That should say a bunch about where their loyalties and priorities are.

[Special T]

These were posted by some one on the Washington Waterfowl Association NW Chapter FB page. some interesting reading.

https://secure.rco.wa.gov/prism/search/projectsnapshot.aspx?ProjectNumber=17-1159&fbclid=IwAR2k1cObFv0sITpvaQcPpk2GzErIzcMo3-pXsha2FH-xjdtPuJohMKjei5g

http://hws.ekosystem.us/project/1002/15542?fbclid=IwAR0EuH2FbahOaDlNzhk6u42C3WZZxGM9xWQbdXgwqCnuiKe261lrpcCfNLE

[Stein]

Yep, another access point completely destroyed and not replaced with anything.  Hundreds of hunters will now move onto a more crowded Samish unit until they decide to flood that.  All of this done with little to no regard for the cost to hunters or what those millions could do in other uses like hatchery production.

They don't even mention the harm to sportsmen or include any letters or even mention any opposition, only including support from the local farming community. 

Chinook are truly becoming the Spotted Owl of the sea.  Just like with wolves, they will now harm anything (even other ESA animals) to do anything that has even a remote chance. 

If they did one of these and said, "let's give it 5-10 years and see if it works" before they went on the path of destruction, that would at least make sense.

[kodiak10]

This meeting is coming up this Thursday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, at the Padilla Bay Visitor Center at 10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mount Vernon. Just thought I would post a reminder

[singleshot12]

I kind of view the HQ grain fields in Skagit the same as I do the commercial corn complexes,in that they both concentrate ducks. If the island is flooded it will spread the birds out creating more opportunity on more acres. Saying it may benifit more hunters widespread.

Besides has any of these salmon estuary projects ever been stopped due to public comment?

[Stein]

I kind of view the HQ grain fields in Skagit the same as I do the commercial corn complexes,in that they both concentrate ducks. If the island is flooded it will spread the birds out creating more opportunity on more acres. Saying it may benifit more hunters widespread.

Besides has any of these salmon estuary projects ever been stopped due to public comment?

No, the meetings are a formality (as explained by another WDFW staff member).  In the plan, they state they have held X public meetings and attach letters of recommendation but don't even mention any opposition. 

If they flood it, there is no guarantee it will hold ducks.  In the past, they had ponds and a variety of planted crops to attract and retain the birds.  If it floods, it is simply another piece of saltwater and I wouldn't bet the birds hang out there, especially after getting shot at. 

[Special T]

This year there was a extended late season where they closed all public ground to hunting and opened it up on private land to try and protect crops during that time. Where will they feed when they flood this piece?

[Stein]

When I read the plan, there was no consideration given to either waterfowl or hunting.  In other words, they don't care, potential benefit to wild salmon was the only thing given consideration.

[PatoLoco]

I kind of view the HQ grain fields in Skagit the same as I do the commercial corn complexes,in that they both concentrate ducks. If the island is flooded it will spread the birds out creating more opportunity on more acres. Saying it may benifit more hunters widespread.

Besides has any of these salmon estuary projects ever been stopped due to public comment?

You compare public waterfowl management areas to private commercial corn complexes? That hold thousands of birds day and night for a good portion of the season? That you can only hunt if you pay big bucks? That don't let guys hunt past 10 or noon so they can rest the fields for the remainder of the day? C'mon this is public hunting ground we are talking about, where our tax and license dollars pay for habitat that gives any hunter in this state the opportunity to shoot a few birds on any given day of the season. If they flood this area you expect MORE opportunity on what acres exactly? Private ground? The middle of Skagit Bay? The cattails and canary grass that will take over?

[singleshot12]

Just trying to remain optimistic when they do flood it. The same birds will still be there foraging on native vegitation and seeds in the tidal current. Should be good hunting especially when cold. There will still be plenty of public land to hunt minus the grain.

[singleshot12]

When I read the plan, there was no consideration given to either waterfowl or hunting.  In other words, they don't care, potential benefit to wild salmon was the only thing given consideration.

Where does all the funding come from? Doesn't DU help fund these estuaries?

[Stein]

I don't know where the funding for the planting and maintenance comes from, may be DU money, duck stamp money, WDFW money or a combination.  The deepwater slough destruction funding is coming from:

Salmon State Projects:   $177,894   
Total RCO Grant:   $177,894   (85%)
Sponsor Match:   $31,393   (15%)
Total Agreement:   $209,287   (100%)

The Sponsor Match is money coming from the WDFW general fund, which means your dollars are being used to destroy hunting grounds and waterfowl habitat.  Salmon State Projects money comes from bonds the state takes out and Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery funds (NOAA money).

At one point there was discussion on an audit to see if any PR or DG money was used or will be used as this would put the department sideways with those programs if it used money and was discovered.

This will continue until there are no dikes left on state land, the goal is to return the land to it's native state regardless of the consequences.

[T-Bone]

DU gulps up the the WDFW Plans like a bullhead eating stink bait; the past Leque Island and HDQ's  destructions and now the Farmed Island Segment are prime examples. In fact, DU was amazed that the duck hunting public was P.O.'ed at these projects "to enhance waterfowl habitat"; when in fact they were to appease the Tribes and Fed's for salmon medication at the expense of the ducks and the  average waterfowler (ie. the walk-in type). I quit DU after over 30 years because of their inability to see the obvious misuse of public lands payed and maintained by the waterfowl hunting public. I fear WA Waterfowl is "burned out" and speaking out at these public meetings (no matter how futile) is our only way to voice our concerns.

[Special T]

I quit DU several years back when they supported blowing the Dikes for the original HQ salmon project.

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[T-Bone]

I would appreciate a review/feedback from anyone attending this meeting. Due to distance, I am unable to attend, but I did email my concerns. Tonight (3/28) is the night.

[h2ofowlr]

WWA posted some questions on their FB page.  Might be worth looking at.  It would be interesting what type of results they have seen at the HQ unit, since they spent millions on that project.  They also did a big project on the snowgoose refuge, which kicked the birds out of it for the most part.  More ducks use it now than snows.  League Is. would be another one to question.  They had great waterfowl ground and habitat and now are ruining those spots.  Seems they have created feeding zones for fish ducks and cormorants.

[Special T]

This event was more of an open house. I'm not really sure they were accepting comments of any serious nature as the WWA NW chapter President (Rick Billieu )had 3 pages of suggestions that he couldnt hand to anyone. They did have a survey asking about usage of the different sites. Their one omission was usage of the Private lands program headed up by Rob Wingaurd big guy red hair and beard... They did have surveys at each location for his program... I didnt  hear anything specific about the salmon restoration program for the farmed island unit. They did have a boilerplate one page document about the departments responsibility for estuary restoration that acknowledged change and or loss to waterfowlers. I over heard some discussion From Loren Brokaw the Project manager that finished up the Leque Island project, and his next project is improving accessibility to all the property on Ebey Island. Some kind of an increased parking lot and some kind of small boat launch to access the center portion of the property across the slew. Apparently a Pheasant release volunteer had talked to the Army Corp of Engineers, one of the crew or something about having the bridge core  "practice" deployment of a floating bridge during the hunting season... kind of a cool idea. I forgot the name but they also had the guy in charge of all the water access sites in the greater skagit area there talking about better distribution on the maps of the properties, but most importantly the Access easements the WDFW has that do not show up on the maps.  Mostly this related to fishing access but there are some along rivers. The area he talked about was N fork of the Stillaguamish North into portions of Whatcom county. Im certain there are some cast and blast opportunities that are overlooked.

the WWA had a pretty good showing and there were folks from the Whatcom, NW, and Seattle chapters that Ive met. lots of WWA hats and plenty on the sign in sheet.

[Stein]

Pretty much what was expected, the department was checking the "public comment and input" box without actually opening their ears.  They didn't accept input or even bother to explain the rationale or have an honest discussion about actual results, success, or how they can work in other areas to at least improve somewhere else for hunters to try to mitigate the gigantic loss they have been inflicting.

They clearly don't care about hunters and are 100% focused on high profile salmon activities to the point that results don't matter, action does.  They simply want slides and statistics about how many acres are "restored" and pictures of destroying man made improvements.  This appeases the politicians and politically driven environmental groups which is the people driving department action.

All I ask is that everyone thoughtfully think about what they are buying this year from WDFW.  Do you really need all of those tags and licenses or can you focus the money and effort elsewhere?  I'm going to cut back as much as I can without major impacts to my family because every dollar I send goes to pay these salaries and their activities which have proven are not in the best interest of hunters and fishermen or the game we pursue.