Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Invites Public Input on Draft Best Available Science Policy for Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is calling for public input on a draft Best Available Science Policy. The commission has been working on this policy for some time and aims to finalize it in the coming summer. John Lehmkuhl, a commissioner and chair of the panel’s Big Tent Committee, stated that the policy will be utilized in various commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife processes.

The draft policy is a concise two-page document outlining how the commission and department should handle scientific information. It includes guidelines on avoiding bias when interpreting studies and utilizing social science to inform decisions. Additionally, the policy addresses scenarios where there are conflicting interpretations of science, specifying that information provided by WDFW should be considered acceptable and sufficient.

Individuals interested in providing feedback on the policy can do so by submitting comments online or via email to bestavailablescience@publicinput.com before May 24th. A link to the complete policy can be found on the WDFW website.