What's Happening?
State Board of Health (Board) Rulemaking – Permanent Amendments to Chapter 246-282 WAC, Sanitary Control of Shellfish
The State Board of Health adopted proposed changes to chapter 246-282 WAC, Sanitary Control of Shellfish, on November 19, 2025. The adopted changes modify harvest control requirements by setting more proactive measures to prevent illnesses and protect public health. The adopted rule also updates definitions, makes changes to seed size and various tagging requirements, and makes technical and editorial changes as needed.
The rule becomes effective on January 15, 2026.
Adopted Rule Documents
- CR-103P - Rulemaking Order with Permanent Rule Language (PDF)
- Concise Explanatory Statement (PDF) - Explains the rule changes in more detail, a summary of comments received, and any changes made between the proposed rule language and adopted rule language.
- CR-102 - Proposed Rulemaking with Proposed Rule Language (PDF)
- Significant Analysis (PDF)
- Small Business Economic Impact Statement (PDF)
Rule Advisory Committee Meeting Presentations
A Rule Advisory Committee met several times to discuss possible changes to the Sanitary Control of Shellfish, covering a wide variety of topics.
- October 2022 (PDF)
- December 2022 (PDF)
- January 2023 (PDF)
- February 2023 (PDF)
- March 2023 (PDF)
- April 2023 (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions: Seed Size, Aquaculture, and Wild Seed (PDF)
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Rulemaking Timeline
| February 2022 | File CR-101 |
| February 2022 | Notify interested parties |
| October 2022 – February 2025 | Draft rules and work with Rules Advisory Committee |
| March – April 2025 | Informal comment period |
| April – July 2025 | Assess informal comments, revise draft rule if necessary, and prepare analyses |
| September 2025 | File CR-102 |
| November 2025 | Public hearing |
| December 2025 – January 2026 | File CR-103 |
| December 2025 – January 2026 | Notify interested parties |
| January 15, 2026 | Rule Becomes Effective |
Rulemaking Files
| Document | What's This? | Date Filed |
|---|---|---|
| CR-101 Preproposal Statement of Inquiry | Announces intent of permanent rulemaking. | February 23, 2022 |
| CR-102: Proposed Rulemaking (PDF) | Announces proposed permanent rulemaking. | August 29, 2025 |
| CR-103P: Rulemaking Order ( PDF) | Announces adopted permanent rulemaking | December 15, 2025 |
Contacts
Shay Bauman, SBOH Policy Advisor
Danielle Toepelt, Shellfish Licensing & Certification Section Manager