Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.

     Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.

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

     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: Severe winter storms resulted in commercial crab gear being scattered from its original location. A provision to allow this gear to be recovered is a conservation measure that will reduce the accumulation of lost and derelict gear in the ocean. 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     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: April 23, 2008.

J. P. Koenings

Director

     (a) Licensed Coastal Dungeness crab operators may retrieve and possess another's commercial crab gear under the following conditions: The license owner or designated alternate operator must first sign the 2008 Coastal Crab Gear Recovery Permission Letter indicating his or her intent to participate in the derelict-gear removal program. The department will then compile an official list of all program participants. Licensed Dungeness crab operators must have, aboard the vessel when retrieving another's derelict commercial crab gear, a copy of this official list.

     (b) Licensed Coastal Dungeness crab operators may only retrieve and remove derelict commercial crab gear from the waters of the Pacific Ocean between the mouth of the Columbia River (46°15.00.N) and Point Chehalis, Washington (46°53.30.N).

     (c) Licensed Coastal Dungeness crab operators who retrieve and remove derelict commercial crab gear must immediately record in their Washington Coastal Dungeness Crab logbook, by latitude and longitude, the location of each pot retrieved.

     (d) Licensed Coastal Dungeness crab operators who retrieve and remove derelict commercial crab gear must attempt to contact the lawful owner and make arrangements to return the gear within six weeks of retrieving and removing the gear. If an operator cannot meet this deadline, or if no owner claims the gear or can be found, the operator must call department biologist Brandon Bryant at (360) 249-4628, extension 229, by the end of the seventh week after retrieving and removing the gear.

     (2) Coastal commercial Dungeness license owners and designated alternate operators must return all original copies of the 2008 Coastal Crab Gear Recovery Permission Letter by May 1, 2008, to WDFW's Region 6 Office, 48 Devonshire Rd, Montesano, WA 98563.

[]

     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2008:

WAC 220-52-04000V

Coastal crab fishery -- Lawful and unlawful gear.

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office