WSR 97-07-043
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
(Fisheries)
[Order 97-51--Filed March 14, 1997, 3:45 p.m.]
Date of Adoption: March 11, 1997.
Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-20-020, 220-20-021, and 220-33-020.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 75.08.080.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-04-080 on February 5, 1997.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Commercial retention for personal use limited to one sturgeon. No sale of sturgeon eggs taken below Bonneville Dam.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, amended 3, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.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: Thirty-one days after filing.
March 13, 1997
Dirk Brazil
for Bern Shanks, Ph.D.
Director
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 95-166, filed 11/8/95, effective
12/9/95)
WAC 220-20-020 General provisions--Lawful and unlawful acts--Food
fish other than salmon. (1) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for
commercial purposes any round, undressed white sturgeon less than 48
inches or greater than ((66)) 60 inches in length or any round, undressed
green sturgeon less than 48 inches or greater than 66 inches in length.
(2) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes or possess aboard a commercial fishing vessel for any purpose any species of halibut (Hippoglossus) unless permitted by the current regulations of the International Pacific Halibut Commission.
(3) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes sturgeon taken from any of the waters of Puget Sound or tributaries, and any sturgeon taken with any type of commercial gear incidental to a lawful fishery shall immediately be returned to the water unharmed.
(4) It is unlawful to fish for food fish for commercial purposes in the waters of Shilshole Bay inland and inside a line projected in a southwesterly direction from Meadow Point to West Point.
(5) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes any starry flounder less than 14 inches in length taken by any commercial gear, in all Puget Sound Marine Fish-Shellfish Areas.
(6) It shall be unlawful to harvest herring eggs naturally deposited on marine vegetation or other substrate, unless a person has a permit issued by the director.
(7) It is unlawful to fish for or possess food fish other than salmon taken for commercial purposes from the San Juan Islands Marine Preserve, except that it is lawful to take herring.
(8) It is unlawful to fish for or possess food fish other than
salmon taken from the Titlow Beach Marine Preserve or the Edmonds
Underwater Park.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 95-23-020 (Order 95-166), 220-20-020, filed 11/8/95, effective 12/9/95; 93-14-042 (Order 93-54), 220-20-020, filed 6/29/93, effective 7/30/93. Statutory Authority: RCW
75.08.080 and 75.28.245. 90-07-003 (Order 90-17), 220-20-020, filed
3/8/90, effective 4/8/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 90-06-045 (Order 90-15), 220-20-020, filed 3/1/90, effective 4/1/90; 80-09-072 (Order 80-69), 220-20-020, filed 7/18/80; 79-03-014 (Order 79-11),
220-20-020, filed 2/15/79; Order 77-147, 220-20-020, filed 12/16/77;
Order 77-14, 220-20-020, filed 4/15/77; Order 76-148, 220-20-020,
filed 12/2/76; Order 76-26, 220-20-020, filed 4/20/76; Order 1193-A,
220-20-020, filed 3/5/75; Order 1193, 220-20-020, filed 3/4/75; Order
1143, 220-20-020, filed 8/8/74; Order 1105, 220-20-020, filed
12/28/73; Order 1057, 220-20-020, filed 5/22/73; Order 1045, 220-20-020, filed 3/8/73; Order 988, 220-20-020, filed 4/28/72; Order 920,
220-20-020, filed 5/13/71; Order 862, 220-20-020, filed 4/16/70; Order
817, 220-20-020, filed 5/29/69; Order 810, 220-20-020, filed
4/17/69.]
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 94-23, filed 5/19/94, effective
6/19/94)
WAC 220-20-021 Sale of commercially caught sturgeon and bottomfish.
(1) It ((shall be)) is unlawful for any person while engaged in
commercial fishing for sturgeon or bottom fish to:
(a) Keep in excess of ((two)) one sturgeon ((not less than 48 inches
in length nor more than 66 inches in length)) smaller or greater than the
size limits provided for in WAC 220-20-020, or more than the equivalent
of one limit of sport caught bottom fish for personal use. Any lingcod
to be retained for personal use taken east of the mouth of the Sekiu
River must be greater than 26 inches in length and may not exceed 40
inches in length.
(b) Sell any sturgeon or bottom fish taken under such license to anyone other than a licensed wholesale dealer within or outside the state of Washington, except that a person who is licensed as a wholesale dealer under the provisions of RCW 75.28.300 may sell to individuals or corporations other than licensed wholesale dealers.
(c) Sell, barter, or attempt to sell or barter sturgeon eggs that have been removed from the body cavity of any sturgeon taken under such license prior to the time that the sturgeon is sold under subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(2) It ((shall be)) is unlawful for any wholesale dealer licensed
under RCW 75.28.300 to purchase or attempt to purchase sturgeon eggs from
sturgeon taken by any person licensed to take sturgeon for commercial
purposes under chapter 75.28 RCW if the sturgeon eggs have been removed
from the body cavity of the sturgeon prior to the sale of the sturgeon.
(3) It is unlawful to purchase, sell, barter or attempt to purchase,
sell, or barter any sturgeon eggs taken from sturgeon caught in the
Columbia River below Bonneville Dam.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 94-12-009 (Order 94-23), 220-20-021, filed 5/19/94, effective 6/19/94; 85-08-023 (Order 85-24), 220-20-021, filed 4/1/85; 82-17-040 (Order 82-105), 220-20-021, filed
8/13/82.]
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 88-86, filed 9/2/88)
WAC 220-33-020 Sturgeon. It is unlawful to fish for sturgeon in
the lower Columbia River for commercial purposes or to possess sturgeon
taken from those waters for commercial purposes, except as provided in
this section:
Gear
(1) Gill net gear may be used to fish for sturgeon if it does not
exceed 1,500 feet in length along the cork line ((and)), is not
constructed of monofilament webbing and does not have a lead line
weighing more than two pounds per fathom of net as measured on the cork
line. Gill net gear includes trammel nets.
Fishing periods
(2) The lower Columbia River is closed to commercial sturgeon
fishing, except as provided by emergency rule of the director. Sturgeon
taken incidentally during an open commercial salmon fishing period may
be retained for commercial purposes.
General
(3) Sturgeon ((less than 48 inches or greater than 72 inches in
length)) smaller or greater than the size limits provided for in WAC 220-20-020 may not be retained for commercial purposes and shall be returned
immediately to the water. All sturgeon in transit must not have the head
or tail removed.
(4) A person engaged in commercial fishing may retain ((two)) one
sturgeon of legal commercial length for personal use.
(5) Sturgeon eggs may not be removed from the body cavity of the sturgeon prior to the time the sturgeon is sold to a wholesale dealer licensed under RCW 75.28.300.
(6) The head or tail may not be removed from a sturgeon prior to the time the sturgeon is sold to a wholesale dealer licensed under RCW 75.28.300 and delivered to a fish processing plant.
(7) A sturgeon carcass with head and tail removed and retained at
a fish processing plant must be at least 28 inches in length.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 88-18-066 (Order 88-86), 220-33-020, filed 9/2/88.]