WSR 26-08-055
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 26-05—Filed March 26, 2026, 5:41 p.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department of fish and wildlife (department) is considering changes to rules regulating both deleterious exotic wildlife and native wildlife and improving safeguards to protect against the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD). The department needs to clarify and amend existing administrative requirements for possessing deleterious wildlife and native wildlife.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department seeks to update and clarify the requirements for individuals who possess, sell, import, propagate, transfer, or maintain live, deleterious, and native wildlife. In addition, the department needs to actively prevent the spread of CWD detected in the northeastern part of the state and protect all wildlife populations, including deleterious exotic wildlife, from contracting this disease.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Washington state department of agriculture.
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 Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504-3200, phone 855-925-2801, project code #11192, fax 360-902-2162, email 2025deleteriousCR101@publicinput.com, website https://engage.wdfw.wa.gov/2025deleteriouscr101; or phone 360-902-2562, email HPArules@dfw.wa.gov, website https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development.
Additional comments: Assistance for language translation, alternate format, or reasonable accommodation, contact Title VI/ADA compliance coordinator, phone 360-902-2349, TTY 1-800-833-6388 or 711, email Title6@dfw.wa.gov. For more information, see https://wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation.
March 26, 2026
Scott Bird
Rules Coordinator