Yesterday, during the final hours of floor debate in Washington State, Senator Ken Jacobsen resubmitted through procedural steps, the original SB5127. The substitue bill had been challenged the day before by Senator Don Benton on the grounds that it exceeded the title of the bill. It was then put back on the calender and brought up yesterday. In order for the legislation to be considered in the house, the bill had to pass in the Senate before 5pm yesterday. Now, its on to the house and your voice is needed to make sure that your representatives understand, how important this commission is to the conservation and fairness that has been missing in sportfishing and hunting.
These politicians think they can overturn the voters will, ( referendum 45), which created the commission. They are either arrogant or completely uniformed about the history of commercial fishing and its devastating irreversible effects on wild fish, that have been wiped out.
It still has all the critical details to make the Fish and Wildlife Commission an empty shell without any substance. It also puts the Director, which has yet to be hired, back under the control of the governor. The director would still have to be confirmed by the senate and Ken Jacobsens committee will have a lot to say about it.
Dont expect to get a Fish and wildlife Director who gives a damn about fish or wildlife. This director, like many in the past, will tow the line for the curtains of death and the lap dog for the tribes. Its too bad that over 4000 curtains of death lay on the bottom of puget sound killing everything that touches it. 14000 crab traps are doing your crabing for you.
If this passes in the house, its likely to become law. Gregoire wants to control who is the director. Its a common practice by Democrats to Centralize power. Of course, we voters changed that in Referendum 45.
Right now, sport fishing groups would be more than happy to put another hunter or wildlife biologist on the commission. The question is, are we too late?
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/bil...Bills/5127.pdf http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summ...5127&year=2009 
Washington Senate Votes to destroy Fish and Wildlife Commission 
