Original Notice.

     Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 06-19-080.

     Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 220-20-010 General provisions -- Lawful and unlawful acts -- Salmon, other fish and shellfish, 220-20-021 Sale of commercially caught sturgeon, bottomfish and halibut, 220-33-001 General provisions -- Commercial fishing regulated, 220-33-020 Sturgeon, 220-36-031 Grays Harbor -- Season and gear -- Sturgeon, and 220-40-031 Willapa Bay -- Seasons and lawful gear -- Sturgeon.

     Hearing Location(s): Seafarer's Memorial Park Building, 601 14th Street, Anacortes, WA, on August 3-4, 2007, at 8:00 a.m.

     Date of Intended Adoption: October 13, 2007.

     Submit Written Comments to: Rules Coordinator, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, e-mail preuslmp@dfw.wa.gov, fax (360) 902-2155, by August 1, 2007.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Susan Yeager by July 24, 2007, TTY (360) 902-2207 or (360) 902-2267.

     Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Purpose is to provide amendments to general provisions to improve and create clarity of conservation management rules on sturgeon; reorganize sturgeon rules for coastal bays and the Columbia River to provide streamlining and reduce regulatory text; and provide flexibility of commercial net usage in the lower Columbia River as provided by compact or agency rule. The anticipated effects of these rules are to provide improvements and clarity of purpose for sturgeon conservation needs, increase lower Columbia River commercial net fishers' operational efficiency, and reorganize rules to reduce verbiage.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: This change will improve readability of rules, increase the conservation actions for sturgeon, and create better operational efficiencies for net fishers in the lower Columbia River.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.12.045.

     Statute Being Implemented: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.12.045.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Name of Proponent: Washington department of fish and wildlife, governmental.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Morris W. Barker, 1111 Washington Street, Olympia, WA, (360) 902-2826; Implementation: Lew Atkins, 1111 Washington Street, Olympia, WA, (360) 902-2651; and Enforcement: Bruce Bjork, 1111 Washington Street, Olympia, WA, (360) 902-2373.

     A small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW.

     2. Kinds of Professional Services That a Small Business is Likely to Need in Order to Comply with Such Requirements: None required or anticipated.

     3. Costs of Compliance for Businesses, Including Costs of Equipment, Supplies, Labor, and Increased Administrative Costs: There is no cost of compliance.

     4. Will Compliance with the Rule Cause Businesses to Lose Sales or Revenue? No - legal harvest will not be reduced and may be increased in future years through reduced-handling mortalities.

     5. Cost of Compliance for the 10% of Businesses That Are the Largest Businesses Required to Comply with the Proposed Rules, Using One or More of the Following as a Basis for Comparing Costs:

     1. Cost per employee;

     2. Cost per hour of labor; or

     3. Cost per one hundred dollars of sales.

     There is no cost of compliance.

     6. Steps Taken by the Agency to Reduce the Costs of the Rule on Small Businesses, or Reasonable Justification for Not Doing So: There is no cost of compliance.

     7. A Description of How the Agency Will Involve Small Businesses in the Development of the Rule: The rule-making process and proposals have been discussed with industry advisory groups; and further opportunities to participate in the rule-making process are provided under the auspices of the fish and wildlife commission's public rule-making process.

     8. A List of Industries That Will Be Required to Comply with the Rule: Commercial net fishers who catch sturgeon or other fish or shellfish not legal to retain. Fish processors who deal with commercially caught sturgeon. Lower Columbia River gillnet fishers.

     A copy of the statement may be obtained by contacting Lori Preuss, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, phone (360) 902-2930, fax (360) 902-2155, e-mail preuslmp@dfw.wa.gov.

     A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. These proposals do not affect hydraulics.

June 14, 2007

Lori Preuss

Rules Coordinator

OTS-9753.5

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 07-04-030, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07)

WAC 220-20-010   General provisions -- Lawful and unlawful acts -- Salmon, other fish and shellfish.   (1) It shall be unlawful to take, fish for, possess or transport for any purpose fish, shellfish or parts thereof, in or from any of the waters or land over which the state of Washington has jurisdiction, or from the waters of the Pacific Ocean, except at the times, places and in the manners and for the species, quantities, sizes or sexes provided for in the regulations of the department.

     (2) It shall be unlawful for any person to have in possession or under control or custody any food fish or shellfish within the land or water boundaries of the state of Washington, except in those areas which are open to commercial fishing or wherein the possession, control or custody of salmon or other food fish or shellfish for commercial purposes is made lawful under a statute of the state of Washington or the rules and regulations of the commission or director, unless otherwise provided.

     (3) ((It shall be lawful to)) A person may fish for, possess, process and otherwise deal in food fish and fish offal or scrap for any purpose, provided((;)) that it shall be unlawful to use any of the following listed species for purposes other than human consumption or fishing bait:

Pacific halibut	(Hippoglossus stenolepis)
Pacific herring (except as prescribed in WAC 220-49-020)	(Clupea harengus pallasi)
Salmon
Chinook	(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Coho	(Oncorhynchus kisutch)
Chum	(Oncorhynchus keta)
Pink	(Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
Sockeye	(Oncorhynchus nerka)
Masu	(Oncorhynchus masu)
Pilchard	(Sardinops sagax)
Except as provided for in WAC 220-88C-040

     (4) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish for fish or shellfish while in possession in the field of fish or shellfish that are in violation of the harvest regulations for the area being fished. This regulation does not apply to vessels in transit.

     (5) It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any commercial food fish or shellfish gear to leave such gear unattended in waters of the state or offshore waters unless said gear is marked.

     (a) Shellfish pot, bottom fish pot, set line and set net gear must be marked with a buoy to which shall be affixed, in a visible and legible manner, the department approved and registered buoy brand issued to the license, provided that:

     (i) Buoys affixed to unattended gear must be visible on the surface of the water except during strong tidal flow or extreme weather conditions.

     (ii) When two or more shellfish pots are attached to a common ground line, the number of pots so attached must be clearly labeled on the required buoy.

     (b) It is unlawful to operate any gill net, attended or unattended, unless there is affixed, within five feet of each end of the net, a buoy, float, or some other form of marker, visible on the ((corkline)) cork line of the net, on which shall be marked in a visible, legible and permanent manner the name and gill-net license number of the fisher.

     (c) It shall be unlawful at any time to leave a gill net unattended in the commercial salmon fishery.

     (6) It shall be unlawful to place any commercial food fish or shellfish gear in any waters closed to commercial fishing, provided((;)) that this provision shall not apply to reef nets or brush weirs or to gear being tested under supervision of the department. In addition, ((provided further that)) it shall be unlawful to take, fish for or possess food fish with any type of commercial fishing gear in the waters of Carr Inlet north of north latitude 47°20', from August 15 through November 30, except as provided in chapter 220-47 WAC.

     (7) It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any fishing gear to refuse to submit such gear to inspection in any manner specified by authorized representatives of the department.

     (8) It shall be unlawful for any person taking or possessing fish or shellfish taken from any of the waters or beaches of the Columbia River, the state of Washington, or the Pacific Ocean, for any purpose, to fail to submit such fish or shellfish for inspection by authorized representatives of the department.

     (9) It shall be unlawful for any person licensed by the department to fail to make or return any report required by the department relative to the taking, selling, possessing, transporting, processing, freezing and storing of fish or shellfish, whether taken within the jurisdiction of the state of Washington or beyond, or on Indian reservations or usual and accustomed Indian fishing grounds.

     (10) It shall be unlawful to take, fish for ((or)), possess ((or to)), injure, kill, or molest fish in any fishway, fish ladder, fish screen, holding pond, rearing pond, or other fish protective device, or to interfere in any manner with the proper operation of such fish protective devices.

     (11) It shall be unlawful to club, gaff, ((shoot with firearm, crossbow, bow and arrow or compressed air gun,)) snag, snare, dip net, harass, spear, stone, or otherwise molest, injure, kill ((or)), destroy, or shoot with a firearm, crossbow, bow and arrow, or compressed air gun, any fish or shellfish or parts thereof, or for any person to attempt to commit such acts, or to have any fish, shellfish or parts thereof so taken in possession, except as provided for in this subsection:

     (a) ((It shall be lawful to)) A person may use a dip net or club in the landing of fish taken by personal-use angling, unless otherwise provided; and ((it shall be lawful to)) a person may use a gaff in the landing of tuna, halibut and dogfish, and a harpoon in the landing of halibut, in all catch record card areas.

     (b) ((It shall be lawful to)) (i) A person may use a dip net, gaff, or club in the landing of food fish or shellfish taken for commercial purposes, except that it is unlawful to use a fish pew, pitchfork, or any other instrument that will penetrate the body of the ((food)) fish or shellfish ((while sorting commercial catches during the act of discarding those fish)) that are not going to be retained or are unlawful to possess.

     (ii) It is unlawful under any circumstance to use a device that penetrates the body of a sturgeon whether legal to retain or not.

     (c) ((It shall be lawful to)) A person may use a spear in underwater spear fishing, as provided for in WAC 220-56-160.

     (d) ((It shall be lawful to)) A person may use a bow and arrow or spear to take carp, as provided for in WAC 220-56-280.

     (e) ((It shall be lawful to)) A person may snag herring, smelt, anchovies, pilchard, sand lance, and squid when using forage fish jigger gear or squid jigs.

     (f) ((It shall be lawful to)) A person may shoot halibut when landing them with a dip net or gaff.

     (12) It shall be unlawful to take or possess, for any purpose, any fish or shellfish smaller or larger than the lawful minimum or maximum size limits prescribed by department rule. Any such fish either snagged, hooked, netted or gilled must be immediately returned to the water with the least possible injury to the fish or shellfish ((and)).

     (13) It shall be unlawful to allow ((undersized)) salmon or sturgeon or fish unlawful to retain that are entangled in commercial nets to pass through a power block or onto a power reel or drum.

     (((13))) (14) It shall be unlawful to possess, aboard any vessel engaged in commercial fishing or having commercially caught fish aboard, any food fish or shellfish in such condition that its species, length, weight or sex cannot be determined if a species, species group or category, length, weight, or sex limit is prescribed for said species ((and)). In addition, it is unlawful to possess food fish or shellfish mutilated in any manner such that the natural length or weight cannot be determined if a length or weight limit is prescribed for said species.

     (((14) It shall be lawful to)) (15) It shall be unlawful to possess for any purpose any fish or shellfish in excess of catch or possession limits prescribed by department rule. Any such fish either snagged, hooked, netted or gilled must be immediately returned to the water with the least possible injury to the fish or shellfish.

     (16) A person may possess, transport through the waters of the state, or land, dressed sablefish ((("dressed" is)) as defined by WAC 220-16-330(())).

     (((15) It shall be lawful to)) (17) A person may possess, transport through the waters of the Pacific Ocean, or land, dressed salmon caught during a lawful salmon troll fishery, provided that frozen Chinook salmon, dressed, heads off, shall be 21-1/2 inches minimum, and frozen coho salmon dressed, heads off, shall be 12 inches minimum, measured from the midpoint of the clavicle arch to the fork of the tail.

     (((16) It shall be lawful to)) (18) A person may possess, transport through the waters of the Pacific Ocean, or land, dressed halibut if allowed by International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) rules and such fish meet any IPHC size requirements.

     (((17))) (19) It shall be unlawful in any area to use, operate, or carry aboard a commercial fishing vessel a licensed net or combination of such nets, whether fished singly or separately, in excess of the maximum lawful size or length prescribed for a single net in that area, except as otherwise provided for in the rules and regulations of the department.

     (((18))) (20) It shall be unlawful for any permit holder to fail to comply with all provisions of any special permit or letter of approval issued to him under the authority of the director, or to perform any act not specifically authorized in said document or in the regulations of the commission or director.

     (((19))) (21) It shall be unlawful to use, place or cause to be placed in the waters or on the beaches or tidelands of the state any substance or chemical used for control of predators or pests affecting fish or shellfish or other aquatic marine organisms, without first having obtained a special permit to do so from the director.

     (((20))) (22) It shall be unlawful to test commercial fishing gear, except as follows:

     (a) Bellingham Bay - inside and northerly of a line from Governor's Point to the south tip of Eliza Island to Point Frances, in waters 10 fathoms and deeper.

     (b) Boundary Bay - north of a line from Birch Point to Point Roberts, and south of the international boundary, in waters 10 fathoms and deeper during times not under ((IPSFC)) control of the Fraser River Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission.

     (c) San Juan Channel - within a 1-mile radius of Point Caution during times not under ((IPSFC)) control of the Fraser River Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission.

     (d) Port Angeles - inside and westerly of a line projected from the east tip of Ediz Hook through buoy C "1" to the mainland.

     (e) Port Gardner - within a 2-mile radius of the entrance to Everett breakwater, in waters 10 fathoms and deeper.

     (f) Central Puget Sound - between lines from Meadow Point to Point Monroe, and Skiff Point to West Point, in waters 50 fathoms and deeper.

     (g) East Pass - between lines from Point Robinson true east to the mainland, and from Dash Point to Point Piner, in waters 50 fathoms and deeper.

     (h) Port Townsend - westerly of a line from the Coast Guard station in Port Townsend to Walan Point to Kala Point, in waters 10 fathoms and deeper.

     (i) All tows or sets are limited to 20 minutes, exclusive of setting and retrieving time.

     (j) All testing is to be accomplished between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

     (k) ((Codends)) Cod ends of trawl nets must be left open, all hooks of set line gear must be unbaited, and no lures or baited hooks shall be used with jig or troll gear.

     (l) Any and all incidentally caught fish and shellfish must be returned to the waters immediately, and no fish or shellfish are to be retained aboard the vessel at any time during a gear test operation.

     (m) It shall be unlawful for any person conducting such gear testing operations to fail to notify the fish and wildlife enforcement office in Olympia prior to testing.

     (((21))) (23) It is unlawful for any person or corporation either licensed by the department or bringing fish or shellfish into the state to fail to comply with the directions of authorized department personnel related to the collection of sampling data or material from fish or shellfish. It is also unlawful for any such person or corporation to fail to relinquish to the department, upon request, any part of a salmon or other fish containing coded-wire tags, including but not limited to, the snouts of those salmon that are marked by having clipped adipose fins.

     (((22))) (24) It is unlawful for any person to possess live bottom fish taken under a commercial fishery license.

     (((23))) (25) It is unlawful for any person to use chemical irritants to harvest fish, shellfish or unclassified marine invertebrates except as authorized by permit issued by the department.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 07-04-030, § 220-20-010, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07; 06-13-023 (Order 06-135), § 220-20-010, filed 6/13/06, effective 7/14/06; 05-08-056 (Order 05-53), § 220-20-010, filed 3/30/05, effective 4/30/05; 02-08-048 (Order 02-53), § 220-20-010, filed 3/29/02, effective 5/1/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080, 77.12.040. 00-08-038 (Order 00-29), § 220-20-010, filed 3/29/00, effective 5/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 00-01-096 (Order 99-214), § 220-20-010, filed 12/15/99, effective 1/15/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080, 77.12.040. 98-15-081 (Order 98-122), § 220-20-010, filed 7/15/98, effective 8/15/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 98-15-031 (Order 98-120), § 220-20-010, filed 7/7/98, effective 8/7/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.040 and 75.08.080. 98-06-031, § 220-20-010, filed 2/26/98, effective 5/1/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 93-15-051, § 220-20-010, filed 7/14/93, effective 8/14/93; 91-08-054 (Order 91-13), § 220-20-010, filed 4/2/91, effective 5/3/91; 91-01-023, § 220-20-010, filed 12/10/90, effective 1/10/91; 89-02-022 (Order 88-186), § 220-20-010, filed 12/29/88; 88-10-013 (Order 88-15), § 220-20-010, filed 4/26/88; 85-09-017 (Order 85-20), § 220-20-010, filed 4/9/85; 85-08-023 (Order 85-24), § 220-20-010, filed 4/1/85; 84-08-014 (Order 84-24), § 220-20-010, filed 3/27/84; 82-15-040 (Order 82-83), § 220-20-010, filed 7/15/82; 82-07-047 (Order 82-19), § 220-20-010, filed 3/18/82; 81-02-053 (Order 81-3), § 220-20-010, filed 1/7/81; 80-10-058 (Order 80-83), § 220-20-010, filed 8/6/80; 80-07-017 (Order 80-45), § 220-20-010, filed 6/11/80; 79-10-013 (Order 79-75), § 220-20-010, filed 9/7/79; Order 77-14, § 220-20-010, filed 4/15/77; Order 76-148, § 220-20-010, filed 12/2/76; Order 1193, § 220-20-010, filed 3/4/75; Order 1179, § 220-20-010, filed 11/19/74; Order 1106, § 220-20-010, filed 1/10/74; Order 1057, § 220-20-010, filed 5/22/73; Order 945, § 220-20-010, filed 8/16/71; Order 920, § 220-20-010, filed 5/13/71; Order 817, § 220-20-010, filed 5/29/69; Order 810, § 220-20-010, filed 4/17/69; Order 771-A, § 220-20-010, filed 3/29/68; Order 767, § 1, filed 12/22/67; Order 758, § 3, filed 10/16/67; Order 726, §§ 2, 3, filed 4/24/67; Order 721, § 1, filed 3/9/67; Subsections 1, 2 from Orders 405 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 3 from Order 677, filed 3/31/66; Subsection 16 from Order 525, filed 5/3/61; Orders 355 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 4 from Order 591, filed 10/28/63; Orders 479 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 5 from Orders 383 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsections 6, 26, 35 from Order 568, filed 3/26/63; Order 543, filed 3/20/62; Order 507, filed 4/13/60; Order 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsections 7-11, 13-15, 17, 18, 22 from Orders 355 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 12 from Orders 407 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsections 19, 27 from Orders 480 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 20 from Order 677, filed 3/31/66; Orders 483 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 23 from Order 677, filed 3/31/66; Order 605, filed 4/21/64; Order 568, filed 3/26/63; Order 543, filed 3/20/62; Order 507, filed 4/13/60; Order 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 24 from Order 605, filed 4/21/64; Orders 407 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 25 from Orders 449 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsections 28-33 from Orders 456 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 34 from Orders 486 and 256, filed 3/1/60; Subsection 36 from Order 591, filed 10/28/63; Subsections 37 and 38 from Order 677, filed 3/31/66; Subsection 39 from Order 672, filed 12/28/65.]

OTS-9754.3

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 07-04-030, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07)

WAC 220-20-021   Sale of commercially caught sturgeon, bottomfish and halibut.   (1) It is unlawful for any person while engaged in commercial fishing for sturgeon, bottomfish or halibut to:

     (a) Keep sturgeon smaller or greater than the size limits provided for in WAC 220-20-020, keep more than one sturgeon for personal use, or keep more than the equivalent of one daily limit of sport caught bottomfish 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. All commercially taken sturgeon, bottomfish, and halibut retained for personal use must be recorded on fish receiving tickets.

     (b) Sell any sturgeon, bottomfish, or halibut 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 77.65.280 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.)) Remove from the body cavity of the sturgeon any eggs or roe prior to the time the sturgeon is sold to a wholesale dealer licensed under RCW 77.65.280.

     (2) It is unlawful for any wholesale dealer licensed under RCW ((75.28.300)) 77.65.280 to purchase or attempt to purchase sturgeon eggs from sturgeon taken by any person licensed to take sturgeon for commercial purposes under chapter 77.65 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.

     (4) It is unlawful to remove either the head or tail from a sturgeon prior to the time the sturgeon is sold to a wholesale dealer licensed under RCW 77.65.280 and delivered to a fish processing plant.

     (5) It is unlawful for a processing plant to possess a sturgeon carcass with head and tail removed that is less than 28 inches in length.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 07-04-030, § 220-20-021, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07; 06-05-094 (Order 06-24), § 220-20-021, filed 2/14/06, effective 3/17/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 97-07-043 (Order 97-51), § 220-20-021, filed 3/14/97, effective 4/14/97; 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.]

OTS-9765.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 88-86, filed 9/2/88)

WAC 220-33-001   General provision -- Commercial fishing regulated.   (1) It is unlawful to fish for food fish in the lower Columbia River for commercial purposes or to possess food fish taken from those waters for commercial purposes, except as provided in this chapter.

     (2) In the Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam and in the select areas (described in WAC 220-22-010), it shall be lawful to have onboard a commercial fishing vessel more than one licensed net in excess of the lawful size or length prescribed for a single net as long as the net or nets are of legal size for the fishery, or the net or nets has a minimum mesh size of 9 inches, and the length of any one net does not exceed 1,500 feet in length.

     (a) When specifically authorized by the director/compact, nets not lawful for use at that time and area may be onboard the boat if properly stored.

     (b) A properly stored net is defined as a net on a drum that is fully covered by tarp (canvass or plastic) and bound with a minimum of ten revolutions of rope with a diameter of 3/8 (0.375) inches or greater.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 88-18-066 (Order 88-86), § 220-33-001, filed 9/2/88.]

OTS-9755.2

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 00-146, filed 8/17/00, effective 9/17/00)

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, it is not constructed of monofilament webbing, its mesh size does not exceed 9 3/4 inches, and it does not have a lead line weighing more than two pounds per fathom of net as measured on the cork line.

     (2) From December 1 through March 31 it is lawful for sturgeon fishers to have salmon or smelt gill nets aboard while fishing for sturgeon.)) It is unlawful to use a gill net to fish for sturgeon if the net exceeds 1,500 feet in length along the cork line.

     (2) It is unlawful to use a gill net to fish for sturgeon with mesh size larger than 9 3/4 inches.

     (3) It is unlawful to use a gill net to fish for sturgeon if the lead line weighs more than two pounds per fathom of net as measured on the cork line, provided that it is lawful to have a gill net with a lead line weighing more than two pounds per fathom aboard a vessel when the vessel is fishing in or transiting through the Tongue Point Select Area, and it is also lawful to have additional weights and anchors attached directly to the lead line in the Deep River, Blind Slough, Knappa Slough and South Channel Select Areas.

     (4) From December 1 through March 31 it is lawful for sturgeon fishers to have smelt or salmon gill nets aboard while fishing for sturgeon.

Fishing periods

     (((3))) (5) 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 as described by department rule.

General

     (((4) Sturgeon 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.

     (5))) (6) A person engaged in commercial fishing may retain one sturgeon of legal commercial length for personal use.

     (((6) 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.

     (7) 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.

     (8) A sturgeon carcass with head and tail removed and retained at a fish processing plant must be at least 28 inches in length.

     (9) It is unlawful to gaff sturgeon.))

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 00-17-117 (Order 00-146), § 220-33-020, filed 8/17/00, effective 9/17/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 97-07-043 (Order 97-51), § 220-33-020, filed 3/14/97, effective 4/14/97; 88-18-066 (Order 88-86), § 220-33-020, filed 9/2/88.]

OTS-9257.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 90-77, filed 8/24/90, effective 9/24/90)

WAC 220-36-031   Grays Harbor -- Season and gear -- Sturgeon.   It is unlawful to fish for or possess sturgeon taken for commercial purposes from Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 60B except at those times, with the gear, and subject to the provisions of this section:

     (1) It is unlawful to take sturgeon by angling from any vessel that is engaged in commercial sturgeon fishing, has been engaged in commercial sturgeon fishing that same day, or has commercially caught sturgeon aboard.

     (2) ((It is unlawful to retain sturgeon not of lawful size, as provided for in WAC 220-20-020(1), and all sturgeon in transit must not have head or tail removed.

     (3))) It is lawful to retain for commercial purposes sturgeon taken incidental to any lawful commercial salmon fishery in any Grays Harbor Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Area except it is unlawful to retain white sturgeon taken prior to August 1st.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 90-18-023 (Order 90-77), § 220-36-031, filed 8/24/90, effective 9/24/90; 85-06-033 (Order 85-14), § 220-36-031, filed 3/1/85.]

OTS-9269.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 91-13, filed 4/2/91, effective 5/3/91)

WAC 220-40-031   Willapa Bay -- Seasons and lawful gear -- Sturgeon.   It is unlawful to fish for or possess sturgeon taken for commercial purposes from Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 60C except at those times, with the gear, and subject to the provisions of this section:

     (1) It is unlawful to take sturgeon by angling from any vessel that is engaged in commercial sturgeon fishing, has been engaged in commercial sturgeon fishing that same day, or has commercially caught sturgeon aboard.

     (2) ((It is unlawful to retain sturgeon not of lawful size, as provided for in WAC 220-20-020(1), and all sturgeon in transit must not have head or tail removed.

     (3))) It is lawful to retain for commercial purposes sturgeon taken incidental to any lawful commercial salmon fishery in any Willapa Bay Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Area except it is unlawful to retain white sturgeon taken prior to August 1st.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 91-08-054 (Order 91-13), § 220-40-031, filed 4/2/91, effective 5/3/91; 90-18-023 (Order 90-77), § 220-40-031, filed 8/24/90, effective 9/24/90; 85-06-033 (Order 85-14), § 220-40-031, filed 3/1/85.]

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office