Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-52-04000N; and amending WAC 220-52-040.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.240.

     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 state may not authorize commercial shellfish harvests absent agreed planning or compliance with a process. The provisions of this rule are in conformity with agreed plans with applicable tribes which have been entered as required by court order. The pot limit for the commercial crab fishery in the Puget Sound licensing district is to maintain commercial harvest allocation plans. There is insufficient time to promulgate permanent rule.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 24, 2005.

J. P. Koenings

Director

by Larry Peck

     (1) Effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 75 pots per license, per buoy tag number in Marine Fish Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, and 22B. The remaining 25 buoy tags per license must be onboard the designated vessel and available for inspection in the pot-limited areas.

     (2) Effective 6:00 p.m. October 26, 2005, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 50 pots per license, per buoy tag number in Marine Fish Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, and 26A-E. The remaining 50 buoy tags per license must be onboard the designated vessel and available for inspection in the pot-limited areas.

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     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 6:00 p.m. October 26, 2005:

WAC 220-52-04000N

Commercial crab fishery -- Lawful and unlawful gear, methods, and other unlawful acts. (05-241)