PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Increasing the maximum bid price for a commercial sea urchin license under the sea urchin license reduction program (WAC 220-95-100). Increasing the maximum bid price for a commercial sea cucumber license under the sea cucumber license reduction program (WAC 220-95-110).
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.047, 77.70.150, and 77.70.190.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The commercial sea urchin and sea cucumber license reduction programs are scheduled to discontinue on December 31, 2013. In order to promote program participation (i.e. sale of licenses back to the state), industry representatives have recommended that the maximum bid price for sea urchin and sea cucumber licenses be adjusted upward. A surplus of funds currently exists in both license-buyback accounts.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
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 Richard Childers at (360) 301-2626 or by e-mail rich.childers@dfw.wa.gov.
Industry comment regarding maximum bid price was solicited in a November 2011 letter to the industry. As a means to meet the program goal of reducing the number of commercial permits to twenty sea urchin and twenty sea cucumber, industry members have recommended increasing the maximum bid price for both sea cucumber and sea urchin licenses.
Contact by April 10, 2012. Expected proposal filing on or after April 18, 2012.
February 14, 2012
Lori Preuss
Rules Coordinator