EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Date of Adoption: March 19, 2002.
Purpose: Commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-52-07300W; and amending WAC 220-52-073.
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: Harvestable amounts of red sea urchins exist in the areas described. Prohibition of all diving one day prior to scheduled sea urchin openings discourages the practice of fishing on closed days and hiding the unlawful catch underwater until the legal opening. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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Repealed 0;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Repealed 0;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Repealed 0.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:
Immediately.
March 19, 2002
J. P. Koenings
Director
by Larry Peck
(1) Red sea urchins: Sea Urchin Districts 1 and 2 are open only on March 20, 21, and 22, 2002. The maximum daily landing of red sea urchins for a vessel in Sea Urchin Districts 1 and 2 is 7,000 pounds. It is unlawful to harvest red sea urchins larger or smaller than the following size (size in largest test diameter exclusive of the spines).
(a) District 1 and 2 - 4.0 minimum to 5.5 maximum inches.
(2) It is unlawful to dive for any purpose from a commercially-licensed fishing vessel, except vessels actively fishing geoducks under contract with the Washington Department of Natural Resources on March 19, 2002.
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The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective March 23, 2002:
| WAC 220-52-07300W | Sea urchins. |