Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Seeks Public Feedback on New Science Policy to Inform Decision-Making

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is inviting public feedback on a draft policy that outlines how they use science to inform their decision-making processes. The Best Available Science Policy is open for review until May 24, with commissioners aiming to finalize it this summer.

Commissioner John Lehmkuhl, chair of the panel’s Big Tent Committee, emphasized the importance of public input in improving the policy and ensuring that the best available scientific evidence is used in decision-making processes. The two-page document includes bullet points on dealing with science, such as avoiding bias in interpreting studies and using social science to inform decisions.

The policy also addresses how to handle conflicting studies or interpretations of science, stating that information from the Department of Fish and Wildlife should be considered acceptable and sufficient in such cases. A link to the full policy is available on the WDFW website, and comments can be submitted online or by email to bestavailablescience@publicinput.com.

Overall, the commission is committed to using the draft policy to enhance their decision-making process through the use of the best available scientific evidence.