Revolutionizing Decision-Making: Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Seeks Public Feedback on Scientific Evidence Policy

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has launched a call for public input on a draft policy that outlines how they use science to make decisions. The Best Available Science Policy, which is open for review until May 24, aims to ensure that the best available scientific evidence is used in decision-making processes.

John Lehmkuhl, a commissioner and chair of the panel’s Big Tent Committee, emphasized the importance of public feedback in improving the policy. 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.

According to Lehmkuhl, information from the Department of Fish and Wildlife should be considered acceptable and sufficient in cases where there are conflicting studies or interpretations of science. This ensures that decisions are made based on reliable sources of information.

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