Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-33-01000S; 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: Sets fishing periods for October 23-28. Allows limited coho harvest and sets chinook directed fisheries. The late coho run size is expected to be considerably larger than the preseason forecast, providing for harvestable numbers of fish. ESA impacts on coho will be within the preseason guidelines. Chinook and sturgeon allocations have not been achieved and there remains harvestable numbers of both on the commercial allocation. The season is consistent with the 2005-2007 interim management agreement and the 2005 non-Indian allocation agreement. Impacts to ESA-listed stocks in these fisheries are covered under the biological opinion for the interim management agreement. A biological opinion covering Columbia River fisheries was received from NMFS on May 9, 2005. Regulation is consistent with compact action of October 20, 2005. 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     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: October 21, 2005.

J. P. Koenings

Director

by Larry Peck

     1. OPEN AREA: SMCRA 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E

     a. SEASON: 6:00 p.m. October 23 through 6:00 a.m. October 25, 2005.

     6:00 p.m. October 25 through 6:00 a.m. October 27, 2005.

     6:00 p.m. October 27 through 6:00 a.m. October 28, 2005.

     b. GEAR: Drift gill nets only. No minimum mesh size in Zones 1-3 (1A, 1B, 1C) and 8-inch minimum mesh size Zones 4-5 (1D and 1E).

     c. ALLOWABLE SALE: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of five sturgeon total (white or green) may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The sturgeon possession/sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries.

     d. SANCTUARIES: Elochoman-B, Cowlitz, Kalama-B, Lewis-B, Sandy and Washougal.

     e. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.

     2. OPEN AREA: Blind Slough/Knappa Slough Select Area. Blind Slough fishing area includes all waters from markers at the mouth of Gnat Creek located approximately 0.5 mile upstream of the county road bridge downstream to markers at the mouth of Blind Slough. Concurrent waters extend downstream of the railroad bridge. Knappa Slough fishing area includes all waters bounded by a line from the north marker at the mouth of Blind Slough, westerly to a marker on Karlson Island, downstream to boundary lines defined by markers on the west end of Minaker Island to markers on Karlson Island and the Oregon shore. An area closure of about a 100-foot radius at the mouth of Big Creek defined by markers. All waters in Knappa Slough are under concurrent jurisdiction.

     a. SEASON: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights immediately through October 28. Open hours are 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. through September 23 and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. thereafter.

     b. GEAR: Gillnet - 6-inch maximum mesh size. Maximum net length of 100 fathoms. No weight restriction on lead line. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the lead line is allowed.

     c. ALLOWABLE SALE: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of five sturgeon total (white or green) may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The sturgeon possession/sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries.

     d. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.

     3. OPEN AREA: Tongue Point/South Channel Select Area. Tongue Point fishing area includes all waters bounded by a line from a marker midway between the red USCG navigation light #2 at the tip of Tongue Point and the downstream (northern most) pier (#8) at the Tongue Point Job Corps facility, to the flashing green USCG navigation light #3 on the rock jetty at the west end of Mott Island, a line from a marker at the southeast end of Mott Island northeasterly to a marker on the northwest tip of Lois Island, and a line from a marker on the southwest end of Lois Island westerly to a marker on the Oregon shore. All waters are under concurrent jurisdiction. South Channel area includes all waters bounded by a line from a marker on John Day Point through the green USCG buoy #7 to a marker on the southwest end of Lois Island upstream to an upper boundary line from a marker on Settler Point northwesterly to the flashing red USCG marker #10, northwesterly to a marker on Burnside Island defining the upstream terminus of South Channel. All waters are under concurrent jurisdiction.

     a. SEASON: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights immediately through October 28. Open hours are 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

     b. GEAR: In the Tongue Point area the mesh size is restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh. Net length maximum of 250 fathoms, and weight not to exceed two pounds on any one fathom on the lead line. In the South Channel area the mesh size is restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh. Net length maximum of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on lead line. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the lead line is allowed.

     c. ALLOWABLE SALE: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of five sturgeon total (white or green) may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The sturgeon possession/sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries.

     d. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.

     4. OPEN AREA: Deep River Select Area. Deep River fishing area includes all waters downstream of the town of Deep River to the mouth defined by a line from USCG navigation marker #16 southwest to a marker on the Washington shore. Concurrent waters extend downstream of the Highway 4 bridge.

     a. SEASON: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights immediately through October 28. Open hours are 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

     b. GEAR: The mesh size is restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh. Net length maximum of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on the lead line. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the lead line is allowed. Nets may not be tied off to stationary structures. Nets may not fully cross the navigation channel.

     c. ALLOWABLE SALE: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of five sturgeon total (white or green) may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The sturgeon possession/sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries.

     d. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.

     5. OPEN AREA: Steamboat Slough Select Area. Steamboat Slough fishing area includes all waters bounded by markers on Price Island and the Washington shore, at both ends of Steamboat Slough. All open waters are under concurrent jurisdiction.

     a. SEASON: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights immediately through October 28. Open hours are 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

     b. GEAR: The mesh size is restricted to 6-inch maximum mesh. Net length maximum of 100 fathoms, and no weight restriction on the lead line. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the lead line is allowed.

     c. ALLOWABLE SALE: Salmon and sturgeon. A maximum of five sturgeon total (white or green) may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open. The sturgeon possession/sales limit includes both mainstem and Select Area fisheries.

     d. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.

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     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 6:00 p.m. October 23, 2005:

WAC 220-33-01000S

Columbia River season below Bonneville. (05-248)