Public lands: Puget Sound access unfairly denied

Re: “Pricey flights favored by official on the way out,” (TNT, 12/19).

This front-page story documents 20 round-trip flights the Washington commissioner of public lands, Peter Goldmark, took in 2016 at a cost of $35,000 charged to the state.

Less noticed but far more costly to the state and users of our natural resources is the recent decline of access and opportunity to fish and crab the waters of Puget Sound.

I, like many others who enjoy these saltwater activities, am dismayed by these recent changes. Perhaps readers who want to learn more should contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Olympia.

This story was originally published December 25, 2016 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Public lands: Puget Sound access unfairly denied."