EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Purpose: Amend personal use rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-56-25500T; and amending WAC 220-56-255.
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: There is sufficient quota to reopen the fishery for two days on June 16 and June 18 in Catch Record Card Areas 3 and 4. This regulation is necessary to implement federal rules on halibut seasons. The adoption of state rules is required to provide consistency to state and federal rules regarding halibut fishing. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: May 24, 2004 [2005].
J. P. Koenings
Director
(a) Catch Record Card Area 1 - Open until further notice. By-catch restriction: It is unlawful during any vessel trip to bring into port or land bottomfish except sablefish if the vessel has brought halibut into port or landed halibut.
(b) Catch Record Card Area 2:
(i) Those waters south of the Queets River, north of 47° N., and east of 124°40' W. - Open until further notice.
(ii) All other waters in Area 2 - Open until further notice, except closed to fishing for halibut 12:01 a.m. of each Friday through 11:59 p.m. of each Saturday.
(c) Catch Record Card Areas 3 and 4 - Open Thursday June 16 and Saturday June 18 only. The following area southwest of Cape Flattery is closed to fishing for halibut at all times:
Beginning at 48°18' N., 125°18' W.; thence to
48°18'N., 124°59'W.; thence to
48°11'N., 124°59'W.; thence to
48°11'N., 125°11'W., thence to
48°04'N., 125°11'W.; thence to
48°04'N., 124°59'W.; thence to
48°N., 124°59'W.; thence to
48°N., 125°18'W.; thence to point of origin.
(d) Catch Record Card Area 5 - Open May 26 through July 31, 2005, except closed to fishing for halibut 12:01 a.m. of each Tuesday through 11:59 p.m. of each Wednesday.
(e) Catch Record Card Areas 6 through 11 and Catch Record Card Area 13 - Open through June 20, except closed 12:01 a.m. of each Tuesday through 11:59 p.m. of each Wednesday.
(2) Daily limit one halibut.
(3) The possession limit is two daily limits of halibut in any form, except the possession limit aboard the fishing vessel is one daily limit.
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The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
| WAC 220-56-25500T | Halibut -- Seasons daily and possession limits. (05-99) |