11-19-604. Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan.

(a) The Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan shall be developed and maintained by rule and regulation as provided in this section to address potential conflicts arising out of the interaction between bighorn sheep and domestic sheep within the state. The final report and recommendations from the Wyoming state-wide bighorn/domestic sheep interaction working group dated September 2004 together with appendices A through N as adopted by the group is adopted as the initial Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan under this section and shall continue as revised or amended until repealed or nullified pursuant to law.

(b) Rules and regulations necessary to administer this article shall be promulgated jointly by the game and fish commission, the board of agriculture and the livestock board. The game and fish commission, the board of agriculture and the livestock board may jointly consider recommendations for changes to the plan and may revise or amend the plan through the rulemaking process pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act.

(c) The goal of the Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan shall be to maintain the health of bighorn sheep populations while sustaining an economically viable domestic sheep population.

(d) The most current version of the Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan shall be published on the website of the game and fish commission.

(e) In conformance with the Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan the game and fish department may relocate or remove bighorn sheep to another area of the state if a federal judicial action or agency decision would require elimination of domestic sheep grazing in any area or herd unit designated in the Wyoming bighorn/domestic sheep plan as a nonemphasis herd. The game and fish department shall be reimbursed for the costs of relocation or removal of sheep under this subsection from funds available in the wildlife/livestock disease research partnership account.