Sunday, January 18, 2009

New "Gold and Fish Pamphlet" Coming (Slowly)

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has updated their mineral prospecting web page to reflect the upcoming "Gold and Fish pamphlet" containing the new prospecting and mining rules that take effect April 3, 2009. At this time, the essential information is contained in the following two sentences (emphasis added):

1. Because WDFW will publish a new Gold and Fish pamphlet in April 2009 that incorporates new rules adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission on November 8, 2008, WDFW will no longer be printing or distributing copies of the 1999 edition.

2. WDFW is developing the 2009 edition of the Gold and Fish pamphlet and will post it on this page when complete.

Accordingly, you may want to visit "this page" from time to time in order to keep up with the appearance of the new regulations. I shall endeavor to do likewise and post any updates here.

Note (added 1/21/2009): RCW 77.55.091 Small Scale Prospecting and Mining -- Rules states, in part (emphasis added):

(3) Within two months of adoption of the rules, the department shall distribute an updated gold and fish pamphlet that describes methods of mineral prospecting that are consistent with the department's rule....

I was just wondering how this squares with the November 8, 2008 to April something, 2009 time frame for the publication of the new pamphlet? I guess some of us get to play fast and loose with the rules while the rest of us don't?

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