Don’t undo wildlife progress

In 1995 Washington’s hunting and angling conservationists struck a blow for science over politics in the interests of fish and wildlife. Washington passed Referendum 45, removing appointment of the director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife from gubernatorial politics and placing the Fish and Wildlife Commission in charge of the director and the department. With this departmental stability, policies can be implemented. With departmental independence, policies can support, and be supported by, science.

Now comes Senate Bill 5127, which would abandon the scientific approach of the present department and strip the commission of other powers. With this bill the governor and special interests can steal back the authority and independence of the Fish and Wildlife Commission. The director would be just another political appointment, and that position is open now. How can the commission realistically fill the directorship when their authority might be lost at any moment?

SB 5127 would reduce commission membership so that the governor’s appointments become more significant and “stacking the commission” becomes a viable option. Must science be shunned for political expedience in managing our natural resources? At this critical juncture, fish and wildlife cannot survive the natural hazards in the wild and political landmines too.

Richard G. Mathisen

Spokane