PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Commercial fishing gear design.
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: The Pacific Fisheries Management Council has set an extremely small quota for canary rockfish. These rockfish are taken as by-catch in the coastal shrimp trawl fishery. In order to allow the shrimp trawl fishery to continue, gear rules need to be amended to require fin fish excluder devices.
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 Lew Atkins, Fish Program, Assistant Director, 600 Capitol Way, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2651. Contact by June 19, 2001, expected proposal filing June 20, 2001.
March 21, 2001
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator