PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Commercial fishing rules.
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: Commercial octopus are currently taken in both a directed, octopus pot, fishery and as by-catch in various other fisheries, particularly trawl. The majority of landings occur as by-catch. The directed fishery has its own by-catch, and results in the capture of unauthorized species, as well as causing problems for gear usage enforcement. Rules will be proposed to eliminate the directed fishery, which will have little effect on the actual landings of octopus.
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 Lew Atkins, Fish Program, Assistant Director, 600 Capitol Way, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2651. Contact by October 19, 2000, expected proposal filing November 1, 2000.
September 5, 2000
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator