PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The sardine fishery.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: We need a WAC to reference and incorporate into state regulations the federal rules governing sardine fisheries. This will allow the department to update state rules as federal rules change, and it will allow enforcement of the fishery under state law.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The federal Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. We are coordinating with this branch of commerce to ensure we reference the appropriate federal rules in our new WAC and model the WAC on federal guidelines.
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 Michele Culver, Policy Analyst, Director's Office, 48 Devonshire Road, Montesano, WA 98563, phone (360) 249-1211. Contact by July 18, 2008. Expected proposal filing on or after July 23, 2008.
May 28, 2008
Loreva M. Preuss
Rules Coordinator