Subject of Possible Rule Making: Commercial marine fish fishing rules and closed areas.

     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 department will consider further conservation rules, including establishing marine protected areas for rockfish recovery. Additional harvest restrictions may be needed for dogfish and six-gill shark. Forage fish harvest rules may need adjustment to protect spawning stocks. These rules will help recovery of marine fish species in Puget Sound and coastal waters.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The department will coordinate state bottom fish rules with the National Marine Fisheries Service ground fish rules.

     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, Assistant Director, Fish Program, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98504-1091, (360) 902-2651. Contact by October 23, 2001, expected proposal filing October 24, 2001.

September 4, 2001

Evan Jacoby

Rules Coordinator

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