The term “Bring it into the light” is something we’ve all heard sometime in our lives.

We’ve come to understand this phrase to mean, “Uncover the truth” or to “expose something for everyone to see.”

Many agree, there are some very dark and disturbing things happening in our State fisheries that need to be BROUGHT INTO THE LIGHT.

We know things are not going well for our fish or for our sport. The history of failures in the North of Falcon are undeniably.  But few know the dirty side of “WHY”.

We know that Tribal representatives use the NOAA permit process as leverage over WDFW to coerce the State into agreements.  Dirty deals that, year after year, are bad for recreational fishermen.

We know that the previous Puget Sound  Chinook Harvest Management Plan was originally put together in secret, between the tribes and elements of WDFW, and has led to increasingly heavily restricted recreational fishing in Puget Sound.  The current plan that is being “negotiated” if signed will do the same or greater damage to our sport.

We know that there are many other issues like the Skokomish River sport fishery and the Point no Point boat ramp to name a couple, that have been clearly and concisely brought before the Commission and the Director for years….without any hard attempt to correct the wrong.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, We’ve know for years that a broken and failed Co-management system needs to be addressed and yet the situation just gets worse.

WHY?

There has to be a reason the Director and the Commissioners absolutely fail to take any action.  

Some cracks have allowed us to glimpse the dirty underbelly of what’s going on.  You just have to dig a bit to see the clues.

One doesn’t have to look very far to see where the influence is coming from.

Ms. JT Austin is the Governor’s senior advisor for natural resources, and she is extremely involved in all matters of tribal/state fisheries. Some say she is the Tribal Hammer, to be used on WDFW.

She is so influential that Director Susewind said under oath:

“…if she and I say the same thing, they're going to believe her before they believe me.”

It seems, in addition to Ms. Austin’s persistent involvement in the North of Falcon and other fisheries issues, she is intimately involved in hand selecting who will sit on our Commission.

She was instrumental in the appointment of James Anderson to the Commission. The same Mr. Anderson who’s  resume consists entirely of working for the tribes:

Past Employment: 

Executive Advisor, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Olympia, Washington 2005-2010
Executive Director, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Olympia, Washington 1985-2005
Planning Director, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Auburn, Washington 1982-1985
Director of Natural Resources and Economic Development, Makah Tribe, Neah Bay, Washington, 1977-1982 

The James Anderson who didn’t even appear on the radar as an applicant until late June. Long after the end date for the application process, and only a few days before the announcement was made appointing him to the Commission. By-passing the WAC and the other qualified candidates who DID follow the rules.  Clearly with Anderson’s extensive ties with the tribes, JT must have been well pleased with herself, and the Governor very happy with her.  Who know’s how involved she was with hand selecting other Commissioners?  But one thing is clear…SHE IS INVOLVED AND THEY OWE THIER ALLEGIANCE TO HER AND THE GOVERNOR…NOT THE STAKEHOLDERS!

Even with this small amount of light, it becomes pretty apparent that the Commission and the leadership of WDFW are being managed by the Governor through JT Austin.

And NO ONE is going to upset the boat of tribal influence. Not “Do Nothing” Commission Chair Carpenter, not any of JT’s hand selected “yes men” Commissioners and certainly not  “Mr. Squishy” Kelly Susewind!

This brings us back to the statement: “Bring this into the light”

There is something very dark, and very wrong that has spread through the Co-management process.  Something that we have only scratched the surface of. 

There is a cancer, eating away at what should be a fair and equitable Co-management system.  A disease that is killing off integrity, honesty and fairness. The symptoms we see in the decisions and actions of the Department and WDFW. But what is very telling is THEIR RELUCTANCE to challenge anything tribal. 

 There is no question, the Co-management system is broken and failing.

What is missing is the WHY.  WHY those who should be fixing it are remaining silent.

Will the cancer ever be cut out?  Can the Co-management process ever be overhauled and once again be made fair and equitable?  I guess the answer to that depends on how much the Citizen Sportsmen want to form a coalition and use the tremendous power of their numbers to make change happen.

THE ONLY CERTAINTY IS: UNTIL WE ALL HOLD THE DIRECTOR, THE COMMISSION AND THE GOVERNOR ACCOUNTABLE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THEM AND THE REST OF US CAN GO TO HELL.

Leaders in the Sports Fishing Community need to step up. The Organizations, associations the clubs and the groups. The guys on the fish advisory boards, and the business leaders. EVERYONE needs to draw a line and say, ENOUGH.  Until that kind of pressure is put on the cancer…it will just continue to grow.