WSR 13-02-031

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

[ Order 12-289 -- Filed December 20, 2012, 4:13 p.m. , effective January 1, 2013 ]


     Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2013.

     Purpose: Amend recreational fishing rules.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 232-28-619.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.15.045, 77.12.047, and 77.04.020.

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.

     Reasons for this Finding: One of the provisions of the Washington fish and wildlife commission's new draft policy, "Columbia River Basin Salmon Management," included requiring sport anglers fishing for salmon and steelhead in the mainstem Columbia River to use barbless hooks beginning in 2013. The Oregon fish and wildlife commission approved a similar policy earlier this month, and the Washington commission is scheduled to take action on the policy during a public meeting January 12, 2013. This regulation is needed to maintain concurrent regulations between Oregon and Washington in those waters of the mainstem Columbia River where the two states share a boundary. There is insufficient time to adopt permanent rules.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: December 20, 2012.

James B. Scott, Jr.

for Philip Anderson

Director


NEW SECTION
WAC 232-28-61900L   Freshwater exceptions to statewide rules.   Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 232-28-619 and WAC 220-56-123, effective January 1, 2013, until further notice, it is unlawful to use other than barbless hooks while fishing for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout in the mainstem Columbia River, including the north jetty, from Buoy 10 upstream to the Washington/Oregon border above McNary Dam.

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