The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is looking to improve its decision-making processes by seeking public input on a draft policy that outlines how science is used in its decision-making. The commission has released a draft Best Available Science Policy for public review until May 24.
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.
The policy is a two-page document that 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.
By gathering public input, the commission aims to strengthen their use of science in decision-making processes. The full policy can be found on the WDFW website for those interested in reviewing it. Comments on the policy can be submitted online or by email to bestavailablescience@publicinput.com before May 24th.
