The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is seeking public feedback on a draft policy that outlines how the commission uses science to inform its decision-making process. They have released a draft Best Available Science Policy for public review until May 24.
The policy, which is a two-page document, includes bullet points detailing how the commission and department should approach science, such as avoiding bias in interpreting studies and using social science to inform decisions. The policy also indicates that when there are differing interpretations or conflicting studies, information provided by WDFW will be considered acceptable and sufficient.
Commissioners have been working on the policy for some time and aim to finalize it during the summer. John Lehmkuhl, a commissioner and chair of the panel’s Big Tent Committee, stated that the policy will be used in various commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife processes. Public feedback will help improve the policy to ensure the best available science is used in decision-making.
Those interested in reviewing the full policy can find it on the WDFW website. Comments on the policy can be submitted online or by email to bestavailablescience@publicinput.com. By gathering public input, the commission aims to strengthen their use of science in decision-making processes.
