WWC and HHC Endorse Brian Blake to fill empty commission seat

[jackelope]

Just got this from the WWC/HHC folks. Was asked to share it here.

“Both the Hunters Heritage Council and Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation have unanimously endorsed Brian Blake for the Commission.  When session starts we will be doing a full court press to bring Lorna Smith for a confirmation vote, where I am 100% confident we will prevail.”

[Hunter4Life]

Just got this from the WWC/HHC folks. Was asked to share it here.

“Both the Hunters Heritage Council and Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation have unanimously endorsed Brian Blake for the Commission.  When session starts, we will be doing a full court press to bring Lorna Smith for a confirmation vote, where I am 100% confident, we will prevail.”

Both the Hunters Heritage Council and Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation have unanimously endorsed Brian Blake for the Commission position that has been vacated by former Commissioner Fred Koontz.  His credentials on the hunting side should be unquestioned.  We need a coalition candidate that can unite the consumptive user groups.

RCW 77.04.040
Commission—Qualifications of members.
Persons eligible for appointment as members of the commission shall have general knowledge of the habits and distribution of fish and wildlife and shall not hold another state, county, or municipal elective or appointive office. In making these appointments, the governor shall seek to maintain a balance reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife, including representation recommended by organized groups representing sportfishers, commercial fishers, hunters, private landowners, and environmentalists. Persons eligible for appointment as fish and wildlife commissioners shall comply with the provisions of chapters 42.52 and * 42.17 RCW.

When Governor Jay Inslee appointed Fred Koontz to the Commission, for the first time in the history of the Commission the commercial fishers did not have a spot on the Commission.  Brian Blake knows commercial fishing, and when he was in the legislature, 90% of the commercial fleets were in his legislative districts.  The commercial fishers are behind Brian Blake.

Like it or not, remember the mandate of the Commission and the Department

RCW 77.04.012
Mandate of department and commission.
Wildlife, fish, and shellfish are the property of the state. The commission, director, and the department shall preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish in state waters and offshore waters.

The department shall conserve the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish resources in a manner that does not impair the resource. In a manner consistent with this goal, the department shall seek to maintain the economic well-being and stability of the fishing industry in the state. The department shall promote orderly fisheries and shall enhance and improve recreational and commercial fishing in this state.

Brian Blake is supported by Puget Sound Anglers.  He is experienced in fisheries issues.  He served on the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Hatchery Spending and Project Task Force.

On the hunting side where do I start?  He has won every award the Hunters Heritage Council has to give.  He was an initial class inductee to the Hunters Heritage Council's Hall of Fame, the Hunters Heritage Council's Highest Honor.  This highest honor is given to those, elected officials and non-elected officials alike, who have gone above and beyond to work for hunters’ rights for more than a year, more than a session, but for a career or a lifetime.  The people inducted into our “Hall of Fame” are those who have done more than anyone else for the hunting community.  This will not be an award given every year, but only when there are individuals deserving of Hunters Heritage Council’s highest award.   All the individuals who are inducted have been the ultimate champions of the hunting community.  Every hunter owes a debt of gratitude to these fine individuals.  Brian Blake has won the Hunters Heritage Council "Legislator of the Year" every year since I have been President.  When he was defeated for re-election, the Hunters Heritage Council awarded him a special "championship trophy" for all that he did for hunters in his years in the legislature.  He did that and more.  He killed things before they even happened.  Now we are really feeling the burden of him not chairing the House Nature Resources Committee.

Brian Blake also won Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation's highest honor, it's "Honorary Lifetime Member Award" given to those who have gone above and beyond in “protecting our outdoor heritage.”  The Officers, Board of Directors, and members of WWC owe these fine individuals a debt of gratitude for all that they have done to protect our rights as sportsmen and sportswomen.  Thank you for all that you have done for us.

The final part of the coalition is the tribes.  The tribes are behind Brian Blake. 

This is WWC's mantra, strength through unity - a united sportsmen's voice!  Sportsmen pledged to protect our outdoor heritage.  We need to push this one hard.  We have a winner here.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

 

[dwils233]

For the at large or the eastern seat? Where's he from?

[ipkus]

I hate to burst everyone’s bubble;  Brian Blake has a great track record when it comes to hunting issues and I applaud the work he has done in that arena.  If you also own fishing rods and like to fish for anything that also has a commercial fishery, he was your worst enemy during his entire time in the legislature.  Blake as a commissioner would an even worse blow to recreational fishing than Don McIsaac has been.

I realize the hunting community needs a champion on this commission, but I can’t support a guy that has such a substantial record against recreational fishing opportunities.

 

[WWC]

WWC and HHC are proud to endorse Brian Blake to replace Fred Koontz as a WDFW West side Commissioner. Blake has all the credentials and experience supporting sportsmen as a past legislator chairing the Natural Resources Committee.   Blake has the support of Hunters, Commercial fishermen, and Tribes. He has the kind if experience that few Commissioners could have.

Please send a note of support to the Govenor!

https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message

[JeepWrangler]

W4WC thank you for posting.

I took a minute an sent a message of support to the Govenor.

[HntnFsh]

I hate to burst everyone’s bubble;  Brian Blake has a great track record when it comes to hunting issues and I applaud the work he has done in that arena.  If you also own fishing rods and like to fish for anything that also has a commercial fishery, he was your worst enemy during his entire time in the legislature.  Blake as a commissioner would an even worse blow to recreational fishing than Don McIsaac has been.

I realize the hunting community needs a champion on this commission, but I can’t support a guy that has such a substantial record against recreational fishing opportunities.

Everyone seems to want to overlook this. Sacrifice fishing for hunting mentality I guess. Or are we better of trying to save what we can now, (hunting) and hope to save fishing later?

[Tbar]

I hate to burst everyone’s bubble;  Brian Blake has a great track record when it comes to hunting issues and I applaud the work he has done in that arena.  If you also own fishing rods and like to fish for anything that also has a commercial fishery, he was your worst enemy during his entire time in the legislature.  Blake as a commissioner would an even worse blow to recreational fishing than Don McIsaac has been.

I realize the hunting community needs a champion on this commission, but I can’t support a guy that has such a substantial record against recreational fishing opportunities.

Do you think the extreme views being displayed by the two latest appointments will only be reserved to redefine conservation on the terrestrial side? Blake is and will be FAR more centered than anything that's been trending.

[ipkus]

Do you think the extreme views being displayed by the two latest appointments will only be reserved to redefine conservation on the terrestrial side? Blake is and will be FAR more centered than anything that's been trending.

When it comes to salmon and ocean fisheries you couldn’t be further from the truth.  Blake spent an inordinate amount of his time in the legislature trying to do everything in his power to screw over sport fisherman.  There is nothing ‘center’ about that.

[Tbar]

Do you think the extreme views being displayed by the two latest appointments will only be reserved to redefine conservation on the terrestrial side? Blake is and will be FAR more centered than anything that's been trending.

When it comes to salmon and ocean fisheries you couldn’t be further from the truth.  Blake spent an inordinate amount of his time in the legislature trying to do everything in his power to screw over sport fisherman.  There is nothing ‘center’ about that.

I want to revisit how wrong I could be after the discussions that occur in the next few months.

[Karl Blanchard]

Do you think the extreme views being displayed by the two latest appointments will only be reserved to redefine conservation on the terrestrial side? Blake is and will be FAR more centered than anything that's been trending.

When it comes to salmon and ocean fisheries you couldn’t be further from the truth.  Blake spent an inordinate amount of his time in the legislature trying to do everything in his power to screw over sport fisherman.  There is nothing ‘center’ about that.

I'm far from up to speed on fishing issues. When you say "everything in his power to screw sport fisherman", is that a byproduct of pro commercial policies or an actual vendetta against sport anglers. I'm very interested in some elaboration on this.

[Mtnwalker]

Interesting. Does he stand a chance of being appointed by Save the Orcas Inslee with his history of commercial fishing advocacy? Seems like that would put a big target on his back.

[GASoline71]

Puget Sound Orcas need food.  Salmon provide food for Orcas.  Hatchery salmon used to provide a lot of that food.  I honestly don't know how much more sport fisheries can be screwed up than they are now.  Litigation from the "wild fish" groups to end all hatchery production and close rivers have done just as much or more damage than the commercial fleet to PS fisheries.  WDFW screwed the pooch and got caught in a really bad situation by the Wild Fish Conservancy lawyers some years ago, and their lawsuit against WDFW shut down a lot of hatchery production in the Puget Sound.  Hatchery production is a shadow of it's former self in this state.  The Columbia still gets a lot of hatchery support, but not near as much as years past. 

It's a double edged sword on supporting Mr. Blake.  I'm still not sure where I stand on it.  However, there needs to be someone in the commission to balance out all the anti-hunting sentiment that is already there.

Gary

[Bareback]

Blake will definitely benefit hunting. Five years ago I’d tell sport fisherman to watch out. But now with the current state of fisheries zero - zero =  equals zero.   

Places where Blake’s pro commercial tendencies will effect allocations the most , if he still has them, the Columbia, Willipa Bay and Greys Harbor. A shift of allowable ESA encounters would favor the commercial side resulting in shorter rec seasons. It could effect Salish Sea rec fishing for chinook too.

The current status of wild anadromous fish is not good. Fortunately, the current PDO and La Nina year are good for survival rates. But if and when, the PDO shifts, El Nino returns, and possibly the Blob, escapements and fisheries are going to fall of the table.