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Author Archives: Washington Wildlife First
Action Roundup
What You Need to Know and Do: July 11, 2024
Urgent Notices and Actions Please continue to send comments opposing the Washington Department of Fish [...]
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News Digest
Washington Fish and Wildlife News Digest: July 11, 2024
The digest is a roundup of news concerning fish and wildlife management in Washington and [...]
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News Digest
Washington Fish and Wildlife News Digest: June 26, 2024
The digest is a roundup of news concerning fish and wildlife management in Washington and [...]
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Contact: Claire Loebs Davis, Board President, Washington Wildlife First, claire@animalearthlaw.com For Immediate Release: July 19, 2023 OLYMPIA, WA— Eleven conservation groups petitioned the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission yesterday to adopt rules requiring the state to meet certain standards before it uses taxpayer money to kill state endangered wolves. Washington taxpayers have footed the bill […]
This Week's Issue
50 nonprofits urge the legislature to include the WDFW Accountability and Reform Study in biodiversity funding
Yesterday, April 10, we sent a letter signed by 50 wildlife and environmental organizations asking the legislature’s budget negotiation team to earmark $300,000 from biodiversity funding for the WDFW Accountability and Reform Study, which would engage the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to study the current Department. This sum would be less than 2% […]
This Week's Issue
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s new co-manager hatchery policy leaves too much room for environmental harm
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has developed a draft Co-Manager Hatchery Policy for the hatcheries it operates jointly with tribal nations. This policy is meant to “supersede some or all” of the Department’s current salmon and steelhead hatchery policy (labeled C-3624), which the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted in 2021. The Department will […]
Contact: Samantha Bruegger, Washington Wildlife First, (970) 531-6720, sbruegger@wawildlifefirst.org For Immediate Release: March 1, 2023 Inslee Reappoints Chair Baker and Chooses Two New Eastside Commissioners Olympia, WA –Governor Jay Inslee has filled the three seats on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission that became vacant last December with the expiration of the terms of Commissioners Barbara […]
Press Releases
Bill would undermine state endangered species protections and open the door to wolf hunting in Washington
A bill that would weaken protections for Washington’s wolves cleared an important hurdle Friday, as the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee unanimously voted to approve a slightly amended version of House Bill 1698 despite widespread public opposition. A substitute bill for HB 1698 moved from Committee on February 17 in spite of the nearly […]
Press Releases
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Votes to Permanently Eliminate Recreational Spring Bear Hunting
Contact: Samantha Bruegger, Washington Wildlife First, (970) 531-6720, sbruegger@wawildlifefirst.org For Immediate Release: November 18, 2022 Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Votes to Permanently Eliminate Recreational Spring Bear Hunting Olympia, WA—Washington Wildlife First applauds the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission’s landmark decision today to establish a state policy eliminating recreational spring bear hunting. After a […]
Press Releases
Washington Wildlife First Poll Shows Gulf Between State Values and Fish & Wildlife Management
Voters oppose many agency policies and support more inclusive approach Contact: Samantha Bruegger, Executive Director (970) 531-6720,sbruegger@wawildlifefirst.org Claire Loebs Davis, Board President (206) 601-8476,claire@animalearthlaw.com Seattle, WA – A new poll commissioned by Washington Wildlife First reveals that Washington voters do not support many of the policies of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, and […]
‘Better than Idaho’ Isn’t Good Enough. Washington’s Wolves Deserve a Real Future. Details: Wolves have returned to Washington after being wiped off the state map by the livestock industry. Unlike other Western states like Idaho, the Washington public firmly supports wolf recovery. But the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is radically out of touch with the […]
This Week's Issue
Long Live the Togo Pack: Resilient Togo Wolf Family Escapes State Gunners Once Again
The clock has run out on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s latest attempt to kill the state endangered gray wolves that are members of the Togo Pack in northeastern Washington. Once again, the Togo Pack has managed to escape destruction at the hands of taxpayer-funded gunners. The latest kill order from the Washington […]