PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Recreational and commercial shellfish 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: Changes in crab reporting rules, as well as better understanding of crab molting cycles, has reduced the need to enforce soft shell crab as a criminal violation.
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 North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2651. Contact by August 14. Expected proposal filing August 15.
June 26, 2003
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator