CFM,

The general statewide rule regarding wild steelhead retention is that there is statewide, year round, wild steelhead release.

WAC 232-28-619 has all of the Exceptions to Statewide Freshwater Rules listed in it.

Some of those exceptions in WAC 232-28-619 are the exceptions to WSR, specifically the 1 per day, 5 per year exceptions for the coastal streams.

WAC 232-28-619 was listed on the agenda as being up for review at the rule proposal meetings.

At the meeting they took public testimony on some of the exceptions within 232-28-619, had a discussion on them, had two different votes on two different ways of dealing with the particular exceptions, which were not passed, then a third amendment that was indeed passed, removing the exceptions from WAC 232-28-619 that allow wild fish retention in spite of the statewide WSR rule for two years.

There's no need for there to have been words about a two year moratorium in the WAC beforehand, just like there was no need for the words "1 per day, 5 per year" in there two years ago. The two year moratorium language is part of the new 232-28-619, adopted on February 6, and will be in this May's packet of rules when it is published. The words that were voted on and agreed to will become part of WAC-28-619.

Fish on...

Todd