WSR 14-17-116

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed August 20, 2014, 9:00 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Amending existing department rules to designate additional catch areas on the Columbia River.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.055, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: New catch area designations are needed to aid in management of existing and emergent commercial fishing opportunities on the Columbia River. Evolving and emerging commercial fisheries require managing subsections of existing catch areas and/or designation of new catch areas. Some of these management changes are in response to the Columbia River Basin Salmon Management Policy C-3620.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Washington and Oregon comanage fisheries in the Columbia River which includes concurrent designations of catch areas. The department will coordinate with Oregon as necessary to accomplish any proposed rule changes.

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 Joanna Eide, Rules Coordinator, WDFW Enforcement, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501, phone (360) 902-2403, fax (360) 902-2155, e-mail Rules.Coordinator@dfw.wa.gov.

August 20, 2014

Joanna M. Eide

Rules Coordinator