PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Rules regarding commercial fishing for crab.
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 is considering changes that would provide for better management of the commercial crab fishery including catch area designations and ways to better discriminate and manage for soft shell crab.
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 September 4, 2003. Expected proposal filing date is on or after September 5, 2003.
July 21, 2003
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator