Subject of Possible Rule Making: Hagfish pot trial fishery.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.047, and 77.70.160.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The Washington department of fish and wildlife is considering rule amendments relating to the commercial harvest of hagfish in the hagfish pot trial fishery.

     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 Lori Preuss, WDFW Enforcement, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2930, fax (360) 902-2155, e-mail Lori.Preuss@dfw.wa.gov. Updates will be added to the agency's rule-making page at http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development.html. The commission's agenda, which will reflect public meeting dates and locations, can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/minutes.html. Contact by July 10, 2013. Expected proposal filing on or after July 24, 2013.

May 21, 2013

Lori Preuss

Rules Coordinator