WSR 02-09-034

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

[ Filed April 10, 2002, 3:14 p.m. ]

     Subject of Possible Rule Making: Gear requirements and definitions in the coastal commercial pink 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: By-catch of marine fish has become an increasing problem coast-wide particularly for those species in rebuilding status and for those species fully exploited in other marine fish target fisheries. Developing rules that can reduce such interceptions as by-catch in the pink shrimp fishery can provide major benefits to the conservation of certain marine fish and provide larger harvest opportunity in other directed groundfish fisheries.

     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 June 14, 2002, expected filing date is June 19, 2002.

April 9, 2002

Evan Jacoby

Rules Coordinator

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