PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Commercial fishing rules for ocean spot shrimp fishery.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.12.047.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Current rules allow for a bycatch of bottomfish as bycatch in the ocean spot shrimp fishery. Federal rules on bottomfish have changed significantly since these rules were adopted and bottomfish harvest allowances have been eliminated or significantly restricted in ocean fisheries due to concerns about poor stock status. This action will eliminate a source of groundfish mortality from target fishing under the spot shrimp fishing rules.
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Morris Barker, State Marine Resource Manager, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2826.
Contact by December 4, 2003. Expected proposal filing date is December 9, 2003.
October 21, 2003
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator