Rule making

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offers several ways to participate in and comment on proposed rules.

WDFW's rule-making activity is governed by state laws, including:

The Administrative Procedure Act (chapter 34.05 RCW) requires that agencies conduct a process that ensures public involvement opportunities and considers the economic impact of its rules.
The Regulatory Fairness Act (chapter 19.85 RCW) requires agencies to consider disproportionate impacts of rules on small businesses.
The State Environmental Policy Act (chapter 197-11 WAC) requires agencies to consider environmental impacts of rules.

Current rule-making activity

See WDFW's current rule-making activities.

These rules have gone through the rule development process and have been adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission or WDFW's Director.

These are critical rule changes that require immediate action and are good for 120 days or less.

Search current, permanent, and emergency rule-making activity from 2020 to the present.

Six month calendar of proposed rule-making

Information about meetings, comments, and other background useful to rule making for North of Falcon fisheries.

Information about meetings, comments, and other background useful to rule making for Columbia River Compact fisheries.

The public is offered opportunities to comment as part of WDFW's rule-making process.

Some phrases and terms commonly used during the rule-making process.