Commission delegates sturgeon sport‑fishing rulemaking to director

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted on Sept. 11 to delegate rulemaking authority to the department director to update sport white sturgeon regulations, including aligning Washington's oversized threshold with Oregon's 54‑inch slot and allowing closure authority via emergency rule as data dictate.

Commission staff presented a statewide sturgeon conservation strategy and recommended a slot‑fishery approach to protect broodstock. Commissioner Steve Parker said the change will aid enforcement and is unlikely to alter fishery outcomes: "I think configuring our regulations to be consistent with Oregon just makes sense from an enforcement point of view," he said. The commission moved, seconded and approved the delegation by voice vote; staff said any rulemaking will follow public‑process requirements and include stakeholder input.

The policy work stems from a multiyear conservation review intended to cover hydro, habitat and harvest interactions across Washington rivers, the committee report said. Staff and committee members stressed that the delegation is a procedural step — the director must still complete formal rulemaking, including public comment periods and analysis. The commission indicated the delegation will allow timelier alignment with co‑managers and provide a consistent slot limit across adjacent jurisdictions.