WSR 01-06-004

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

[ Order 01-25 -- Filed February 22, 2001, 4:47 p.m. , effective February 26, 2001, 12 noon ]

Date of Adoption: February 22, 2001.

Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-33-01000Q; and amending WAC 220-33-010.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047.

Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.

Reasons for this Finding: The select area fisheries in Blind Slough/Knappa Slough and Tongue Point/South Channel are part of an on-going BPA funded study to design fisheries in areas outside of the mainstem Columbia River. Several stocks of salmon have been released from net pens in these select areas to provide for fisheries. All salmon returning to these net pens are harvestable. The mainstem Columbia River season is consistent with the principles of the management agreement (draft) that is currently being completed by the states, the four Columbia River treaty tribes, and the federal government. Impacts to ESA-listed stocks in these fisheries through February "will not make any irreversible or irretrievable commitment of resources that would foreclose the formulation or implementation of any reasonable and prudent alternative which would not violate subsection 7 (a)(2)" (Darm letter to Stan Speaks, January 16, 2001). The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates that the seasons are consistent with the draft management agreement and will issue a biological opinion in March 2001. This rule is consistent with actions of the Columbia River Compact hearings of January 25, 2001, and February 20, 2001, and conforms Washington and Oregon state rules. There is insufficient time to promulgate permanent rules.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: February 26, 2001, 12 noon.

February 22, 2001

J. P. Koenings

Director

by Larry Peck


NEW SECTION
WAC 220-33-01000R   Columbia River gillnet seasons below Bonneville.   Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-33-010, WAC 220-33-020, and WAC 220-33-030, it is unlawful for a person to take or possess salmon, sturgeon, and shad, taken for commercial purposes from Columbia River Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E except during the times and conditions listed:


1) Mainstem Columbia River

Area: SMCRA 1A, 1B, 1C, and those water of 1D upstream to Kelley Point at the mouth of the Willamette River.
Dates: Noon February 26, 2001 to 6 PM February 27, 2001
Noon March 1, 2001 to 6 PM March 2, 2001
Gear: 8 inch minimum mesh and 9 3/4 inch maximum mesh restriction.
Allowable Sale: Salmon and sturgeon.


Sanctuaries: Grays River, Gnat Creek, Elokomin-A, Abernathy Creek, Cowlitz River, Kalama-A, Lewis-A.


2) Blind Slough/Knappa Slough Select Area


Area: Open waters of Blind Slough extend from markers at the mouth of Gnat Creek located approximately 1/2 mile upstream of the county road bridge, downstream to markers at the mouth of Blind Slough. Concurrent Washington/Oregon waters extend downstream of the railroad bridge.
Knappa Slough is open to fishing in all waters bounded by a line from the northerly most marker at the mouth of Blind Slough westerly to a marker on Karlson Island downstream to a north-south line defined by a marker on the eastern end of Minaker Island to markers on Karlson Island and the Oregon shore.
b) Blind Slough only
Gear: 8-inch minimum mesh
Dates:
7 PM February 26 to 7 AM February 27, 2001
7 PM March 5 to 7 AM March 6, 2001
Blind Slough only
Gear: 8-inch maximum mesh
Dates:
7 PM April 2 to 7 AM April 3, 2001
7 PM April 9 to 7 AM April 10, 2001
c) Blind Slough and Knappa Slough
Gear: 8-inch maximum mesh
Dates:
7 PM April 16 to 7 AM April 17, 2001
7 PM April 23 to 7 AM April 24, 2001
7 PM April 30 to 7 AM May 1, 2001
7 PM May 2 to 7 AM May 3, 2001
7 PM May 7 to 7 AM May 8, 2001
7 PM May 9 to 7 AM May 10, 2001
7 PM May 14 to 7 AM May 15, 2001
7 PM May 16 to 7 AM May 17, 2001
7 PM May 21 to 7 AM May 22, 2001
7 PM May 23 to 7 AM May 24, 2001
7 PM May 28 to 7 AM May 29, 2001
7 PM May 30 to 7 AM May 31, 2001
7 PM June 4 to 7 AM June 5, 2001
7 PM June 6 to 7 AM June 7, 2001
7 PM June 11 to 7 AM June 12, 2001
7 PM June 13 to 7 AM June 14, 2001
Gear: Nets restricted to 100 fathoms in length with no weight restriction on leadlline.
Allowable Sale: Salmon, sturgeon, shad

3) Tongue Point/South Channel Select Area


Area: Tongue Point Basin is open to fishing in all waters bounded by a line from the red light at Tongue Point to the flashing green light at Tongue Point to the flashing green light at the rock jetty on the northwesterly tip of Mott Island, a line from a marker at the south end of Mott Island easterly to a marker on the northwest bank on Lois Island, and a line from a marker on the southwest end of Lois Island due westerly to a marker on the opposite bank.
South Channel is open to fishing in all waters bounded by a line from a marker on John Day Point through the green buoy "7" thence to a marker on the southwest end of Lois Island upstream to an upper boundary line from a marker on Settler Point northwesterly to flashing red marker "10".
All open waters are under concurrent jurisdiction.
a) Tongue Point only:
Gear: 8-inch minimum mesh
Dates:
7 PM February 20 to 7 AM February 21, 2001
7 PM February 27 to 7 AM February 28, 2001
7 PM March 6 to 7 AM March 7, 2001
b) Tongue Point and South Channel
Gear: 8-inch maximum mesh
Dates:
7 PM April 17 to 5 AM April 18, 2001
7 PM April 24 to 5 AM April 25, 2001
7 PM May 1 to 5 AM May 2, 2001
7 PM May 3 to 5 AM May 4, 2001
7 PM May 8 to 5 AM May 9, 2001
7 PM May 10 to 5 AM May 11, 2001
7 PM May 15 to 5 AM May 16, 2001
7 PM May 17 to 5 AM May 18, 2001
7 PM May 22 to 5 AM May 23, 2001
7 PM May 24 to 5 AM May 25, 2001
7 PM May 29 to 5 AM May 30, 2001
7 PM May 31 to 5 AM June 1, 2001
7 PM June 5 to 5 AM June 6, 2001
7 PM June 7 to 5 AM June 8, 2001
7 PM June 12 to 5 AM June 13, 2001
Gear: Legal gear restricted to a maximum length of 250 fathoms and weight on leadline not to exceed 2 pounds on any one fathom within Tongue Point Basin.
In South Channel, nets are restricted to 100 fathoms in length with no weight restrictions on the leadline. Fishers participating in the Tongue Point Basin fishery may have stored on board their boats, gill nets with leadline in excess of 2 pounds per fathom.

Allowable Sale: Salmon, sturgeon and shad.

[]

Reviser's note: The spelling error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.
REPEALER


     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 12 noon February 26, 2001:


WAC 220-33-01000Q Columbia River gillnet seasons below Bonneville. (01-21)

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office