WSR 17-03-041

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed January 7, 2017, 12:20 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Changes to the Washington department of fish and wildlife's (WDFW) recreational salmon fishing rules resulting from stakeholder recommendations made during North of Falcon meetings for coastal freshwater.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Recreational salmon fishing rules based on North of Falcon recommendations change from year to year to reflect resource availability and to achieve conservation goals. Amendments to recreational salmon fishing rules are needed to implement the agreed-upon changes.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: NOAA Fisheries and the National Marine Fisheries Service. These agencies, as well as WDFW, the Pacific Fisheries [Fishery] Management Council, and the Pacific Salmon Commission, all provide input and/or take part in the North of Falcon meetings and recommendations.

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 Kirt Hughes, WDFW Fish Program, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2705, fax (360) 902-2155, email Kirt.Hughes@dfw.wa.gov. Contact by February 5, 2017. Expected proposal filing on or after February 10, 2017.

January 5, 2017

Scott Bird

Rules Coordinator