OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will accept public comments through Oct. 31 on proposed changes to the state's sportfishing rules.

As part of that effort, WDFW has scheduled two public meetings in September to discuss with the public the three proposed rules.

To review and comment on the proposed rules, visit WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/rule_proposals/. Printed copies of the proposals and comment forms are available by contacting WDFW's Fish Program at (360) 902-2672.

The public meetings will run from 6-8 p.m. and are scheduled for:

Sept. 3 - WDFW's Spokane Office, 2315 North Discovery Place, Spokane Valley.
Sept. 5 - Naselle School common area, 793 Washington Highway 4, Naselle.

The public also will have an opportunity to provide testimony on the proposed rule changes during the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission's November meeting in Olympia. Check the commission's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/) for the specific day and time.

The commission, which sets policy for WDFW, is scheduled to vote on the final sportfishing rules package during a meeting in December.

WDFW is recommending three sportfishing rule proposals that would:

Liberalize the daily limit for walleye to 16 fish on the waters of the San Poil River inundated by Lake Roosevelt (the San Poil Arm) to decrease the overabundant walleye population and to align regulations with those for Lake Roosevelt.

Prohibit fishing from boats equipped with an internal combustion motor on a stretch of the Naselle River from the Highway 4 Bridge to the Crown Mainline (Salme) Bridge year round in order to reduce user conflicts.

Re-organize WAC 232-28-619, "Washington food fish and game fish-Freshwater exceptions to statewide rules," into multiple rules based on geographical area. The current rule is over 300 pages long. Proposed modifications to the rule include making technical changes, corrections, and updates to language and restructuring provisions under an outline format for accuracy, clarity, and transparency for the public.