Affected and Interested Parties
Owners and employees of shellfish operations such as shuckers, packers, harvesters, and growers, and other interested parties.
Reason Why Rule Change Considered
The Department of Health (Department) has completed an initial assessment of the commercial shellfish program fiscal resources and determined the program is not generating sufficient revenue to cover the cost of the program. The program filed a CR101, Preproposal Statement of Inquiry for WAC 246-282-990. Rulemaking is needed to create or update fees for operator licenses, export certificates, biotoxin testing and paralytic shellfish poisoning testing. The department may also consider implementing cost recovery mechanisms consistently across operator license categories for harvesters, shippers and shucker-packers such as adding a late license renewal fee, reinspection fee, or a non-compliance driven inspection fee.
Rule Development Timeline
A CR-101 was filed on January 27, 2023 as WSR#23-04-060. View the CR-101 for WAC 246-282-990 (PDF). The department intends to have rules become effective in July 2024.
How to Get Involved
The Department of Health will use a collaborative rule-making approach. The Department will keep interested parties informed of the rule development through email correspondence and regular posting of information on department rule-making website. The department will share status and findings with its standings group Shellfish Rulemaking Advisory Committee during its already planned meeting dates. The department will share drafts rules and conduct an informal comment period on this website when the draft rules are ready for review.
For More Information
Peter Beaton, Rules Coordinator, 360-236-4031
Dani Toepelt, Shellfish Program, 360-236-3347