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The Director’s Office provides strategic direction
and operational oversight for Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) employees throughout the
state, working to turn policies adopted by the state
Legislature and the Fish and Wildlife Commission into
action.
Phil Anderson began his employment with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) in 1994, serving as a Special Assistant to the Director overseeing intergovernmental issues associated with both fish and wildlife. As part of his responsibilities in this role, he led the Department’s team in implementing Judge Rafeedie’s decision that affirmed the treaty Indian tribes’ right to harvest up to 50% of shellfish and marine fish. That work included the development of over 30 state-tribal management plans.
In 1999, Department Director Jeff Koenings asked Mr. Anderson to create and lead a policy group that was responsible for representing the Director’s office in intergovernmental forums related to fish, wildlife, and environmental issues. This included providing the state’s representation on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, state-tribal hunting issues, the Columbia River Compact, and the North of Falcon process.
In 2007, Mr. Anderson was appointed as one of two Deputy Directors. In this capacity, he supervised the Department’s Assistant Directors for the Fish, Wildlife, Habitat, and Enforcement Programs and continued his lead role relative to resource policy issues and intergovernmental policy.
In December 2008, Mr. Anderson was named as Interim Director of the Department. He was selected as the permanent Director by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in September 2009.
Prior to coming to the Department, Mr. Anderson owned and operated a charter fishing boat out of Westport and Neah Bay. He was heavily involved in a variety of fishery management entities including the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, North of Falcon, the negotiations leading up to the U.S.-Canada Salmon Interception Treaty, and was appointed and served as a council member of the Pacific Fishery Management Council from 1987-1994.
Director Anderson and his wife, Chris, live in Westport and have two sons. Mr. Anderson is an avid hunter, fisher, bird watcher, and also served two terms as a school board member of the Ocosta School District. |
