PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Commercial fishing rules describing closed areas, boundaries and districts for sea urchin and sea cucumber fisheries.
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: Captures by permanent rules those closed area descriptions that have been used in emergency orders over the last few years, plus clarifies boundary area descriptions and redefines district definitions. These changes will reduce the amount of text to be included with in-season regulations, reduce the length of hotline messages to provide better public service, and provide a clearer boundary description for better management and enforcement.
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 Morris Barker, State Marine Resource Manager, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2826. Contact by June 17, 2002, expected proposal filing is June 19, 2002.
February 20, 2002
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator