The deadline of November 12, 2015 is fast approaching for public comment on the proposed 50 sport-fishing rule changes for 2016-2017.These rules affecting Puget Sound, coast, and other parts of the state.

If interested, the link below leads to the proposed rule changes. By clicking on the specific rule in blue, it will take you to the comment page where there is more information on that particular rule.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/rule_proposals/2016-2017/recommend.php

As a reminder these are coastal and P.S. freshwater only now that the rule change process has been changed to a three year rotation. And, yes, read them and if you have a comment submit it for consideration. Otherwise, you have no grounds to complain after the Commission makes its decision.

Be aware that Staff has sifted through all of the proposals submitted by the public and put them into two piles; one pile being those recommended for further consideration and the other those not recommended with an accompanying explanation. You may also want to peruse the "Not Recommended" group as there may be one or more you want to support (and which is not dead due to a regulatory reason).

For the saltwater folks your turn comes early 2016 when WDFW will open the process requesting saltwater rule change proposals to be implemented for the 2017 season.

Finally, this three year cycle was requested by WDFW due to Staff shortages and was implemented by the Commission. While understanding their personnel problems a three year cycle, in my opinion, is not sufficiently responsive to WDFW's primary constituency - an opinion that was voiced during the recent Director outreach meetings.

Submitting your comment(s) is pretty convenient; you just fill out your contact info and push the submit comment button after you have written your comment for that particular rule, then moving forward just click on the next proposal that may interest you. As long as you do not exit, you just need to fill your contact info out once regardless of how many individual comments submitted.

Originally Posted By: Larry B

While understanding their personnel problems a three year cycle, in my opinion, is not sufficiently responsive to WDFW's primary constituency - an opinion that was voiced during the recent Director outreach meetings.

It does seem to fly in the face of the recent mantra of "Adaptive Management"