Fish and Wildlife Commission sticks with status quo on wolf-livestock protocols

Washington will not adopt more stringent rules governing when state-protected gray wolves may be killed for repeated attacks on livestock.

On Friday, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 5-4 to dismiss the proposed rule and instead continue current procedures, which the rule would have codified. Those in the majority said the new rule was unnecessary and would be burdensome to livestock producers. Those on the losing side said they favored a more defined process surrounding the killing of problem wolves and that the proposed rule did not go far enough.

Two years ago, amid a spate of wolf attacks on livestock that led the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to remove a number of wolves from the state’s northeastern corner, Gov. Jay Inslee asked the department to consider rules that would reduce both attacks on livestock and the killing of wolves.

The agency drafted two proposed rules. The first would require department conflict specialists to confirm livestock producers had put in place nonlethal measures designed to reduce attacks on livestock before wolves could be killed. The second would create voluntary wolf conflict zones. During recent meetings, commissioners heard from agency personnel that wolf conflict specialists already work with livestock producers to verify nonlethal deterrents have been deployed before kill orders are issued. They were also told the number of attacks on livestock by wolves and subsequent wolf removals have declined dramatically in the two years since Inslee made his request.

“It seems to me it makes the rule unnecessary,” said Commissioner Kim Thorburn, of Spokane. “It is also burdensome on those who would be ruled.”

Thorburn was joined by commissioners Barbara Baker, Molly Linville, Jim Anderson and Don McIsaac. Commissioners Lorna Smith, Melanie Rowland, Tim Ragen and John Lehmkuhl voted against the motion that killed the proposed rules.

Smith said she would like an even more restrictive rule.

“I think Washington can and should lead the way and serve as a model for other states on how to successfully manage and absolutely minimize conflict between livestock and wolves. We’ve done a lot but we can and should do more and I will continue to work towards adopting rules that will accomplish these goals.”

Kelly Susewind, director of the department, told commissioners that the agency will continue to strive to improve its management of conflicts between wolves and livestock, with or without, a specific rule.

We’ve evolved a lot over the last 10 years. We will continue to evolve. You have some brilliant staff working on this. Their ultimate goal is less and less injuries to livestock and wolves,” he said. “We will always be looking for better ways of doing it.”

Because of unspecified “various reasons” the commission has moved up its planned visit to Clarkston but will allow some members to attend virtually because of their expressed fear of COVID-19 rates in Asotin County. The commission was set to hold meetings in Ocean Shores Aug. 4-6 and Clarkston from Sept. 22-24. Chairperson Molly Linville said the dates of those meetings have been swapped so the commission will now visit Clarkston in August. Six of the nine commissioners said they are still willing to attend in-person meetings. Commissioners Smith, Rowland and Ragen said they also favor attending in-person meetings but asked for the opportunity to attend remotely depending on COVID-19 circumstances.

“I raised the concern that as of this date, or the most recently reported information, Asotin County was having some real issues with the prevalence of COVID and also a very low vaccination rate,” said Smith. “Maybe by August that will look a lot better, which would certainly change my view, but this Omicron variant B5 is very virulent and everybody should be aware of that. I am concerned for my fellow commissioners, we’re all in that at-risk age group.”

Commission chairperson Baker said those uncomfortable attending meetings in person because of COVID-19 concerns may attend remotely.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.