EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.
Purpose: The purpose of this emergency rule is to increase the total and female quotas for the Klickitat hunt zone from 6 and 2 to 10 and 4, respectively.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 232-28-285.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047, 77.12.040, 77.12.020, 77.12.570, 77.12.210.
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: The current quota of six total cougar or two female cougar was set temporarily until more data were collected and more collaboration between the department and county authorities occurred. During the first year Klickitat County opted into the pilot program, the quota was subjectively set at the average harvest levels. During that first year, the quota was met before the pilot cougar season began, making the program ineffective in Klickitat County. The revised quota is based on revised harvest information, extrapolation from cougar research in Kittitas County, cougar population objectives for the area, and objectives for increased public safety and protection of pets and livestock. Increasing the quota to ten total cougar or four females will enable the department to more effectively test the utility of the pilot cougar program in Klickitat County. There are no negative impacts expected from the increased quota to the long-term viability of cougar populations in Klickitat County.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 16, 2009.
Philip Anderson
Director
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