Subject of Possible Rule Making: Changes to Washington department of fish and wildlife's (WDFW) Columbia River, coastal commercial, and Puget Sound commercial salmon fishing rules, resulting from North of Falcon recommendations.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Rules based on North of Falcon recommendations change from year to year to reflect resource availability and achieve conservation goals.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: NOAA Fisheries and the National Marine Fisheries Service. These agencies, as well as WDFW, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, and the Pacific Salmon Commission, all provide input and/or take part in the North of Falcon meetings and recommendations.

     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 John Long, WDFW Fish Program, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2733, fax (360) 902-2158, e-mail John.Long@dfw.wa.gov. Contact by February 1, 2012. Expected proposal filing on or after February 22, 2012.

December 21, 2011

Lori Preuss

Rules Coordinator

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