EXPEDITED RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 220-56-235 Possession limits -- Bottomfish.
THIS RULE IS BEING PROPOSED UNDER AN EXPEDITED RULE-MAKING PROCESS THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE AGENCY TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS, PREPARE A SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT, OR PROVIDE RESPONSES TO THE CRITERIA FOR A SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE RULE. IF YOU OBJECT TO THIS USE OF THE EXPEDITED RULE-MAKING PROCESS, YOU MUST EXPRESS YOUR OBJECTIONS IN WRITING AND THEY MUST BE SENT TO Lori Preuss, Rules Coordinator, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 , AND RECEIVED BY July 4, 2011.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The purpose of this proposal is to align state regulations with federal regulations. The changes would reduce the state's recreational bottomfish aggregate daily limit from 15 to 12 and implement a sublimit of 2 cabezon per day in Marine Catch Areas 1-3 and 4, west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. The federal aggregate bottomfish daily limit and cabezon sublimit is listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Title 50, Part 300.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: This proposal will protect bottomfish resources in Washington's coastal waters and was discussed during public meetings of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) and during WDFW sponsored meetings. The changes were approved by PFMC as part of its biennial groundfish management cycle.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.
Statute Being Implemented: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.
Rule is necessary because of federal law, C.F.R. Title 50, Part 330.
Name of Proponent: WDFW, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Heather Reed, 48 Devonshire Road, Montesano, WA, (360) 249-4628; Implementation: Michele Culver, 48 Devonshire Road, Montesano, WA, (360) 249-4628; and Enforcement: Chief Bruce Bjork, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA, (360) 902-2929.
May 4, 2011
Lori Preuss
Rules Coordinator
OTS-3964.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 11-30, filed 3/23/11,
effective 4/23/11)
WAC 220-56-235
Possession limits--Bottomfish.
It is
unlawful for any person to take in any day more than the
following quantities of bottomfish for personal use. The
possession limit at any time shall not exceed the equivalent
of two daily limits in fresh, frozen or processed form. Unless otherwise provided bottomfish fishing is open the
entire year.
(1) Coastal (Catch Record Card Areas 1 through 4) - ((15)) 12 fish in the aggregate, except east of the
Bonilla-Tatoosh line - 10 fish in the aggregate, of all
species and species groups of bottomfish, which may include no
more than:
(a) Lingcod - 2 fish:
(i) Minimum length 22 inches in Catch Record Card Areas 1 through 3.
(ii) Minimum length 24 inches in Catch Record Card Area 4.
(b) Rockfish - 10 fish. Release all canary and yelloweye rockfish. In Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla Tatoosh Line: 6 fish. Only black or blue rockfish may be retained.
(c) ((Surfperch (excluding shiner perch) - 15 fish.
(d))) Wolfeel - 0 fish from Catch Record Card Area 4.
(((e))) (d) Cabezon - 2 fish ((east of the
Bonilla-Tatoosh line)).
(2) Inner Puget Sound (Catch Record Card Areas 5 through 13):
(a) Catch Record Card Areas 5 and 6 - 15 fish in the aggregate of all species and species groups of bottomfish, which may include no more than:
| Rockfish in Marine Area 5 except | 1 fish May 1 through September 30 only black or blue rockfish may be retained. | |
| in Marine Area 5 west of Slip Point | 3 fish only black or blue rockfish may be retained. | |
| in Marine Area 6. | 0 fish | |
| Surfperch | 10 fish | |
| Pacific cod | 2 fish | |
| Pollock | 2 fish | |
| Flatfish (except halibut) | 15 fish | |
| Lingcod | 1 fish | |
| Wolf-eel | 0 fish | |
| Cabezon | 2 fish | |
| Pacific hake | 2 fish |
| Rockfish | 0 fish | |
| Surfperch | 10 fish | |
| Pacific cod | 2 fish | |
| Flatfish (except halibut) | 15 fish | |
| Lingcod | 1 fish | |
| Wolf-eel | 0 fish | |
| Cabezon | 2 fish | |
| Pollock | 2 fish | |
| Pacific hake | 2 fish |
| Rockfish | 0 fish | |
| Surfperch | 10 fish | |
| Pacific cod | 0 fish | |
| Pollock | 0 fish | |
| Flatfish (except halibut) | 15 fish | |
| Lingcod | 1 fish | |
| Wolf-eel | 0 fish | |
| Cabezon | 2 fish | |
| Pacific hake | 0 fish |
(e) It is unlawful to possess lingcod taken by angling or by spear fishing less than 26 inches in length or greater than 36 inches in length.
(f) It is unlawful to retain cabezon taken from Catch Record Card Areas 5 through 11 and 13 from December 1 through April 30.
(g) It is unlawful to retain six-gill shark taken from Catch Record Card Areas 5 through 13.
(h) In Catch Record Area 5, the daily limit for rockfish is the first legal rockfish caught, except west of Slip Point the daily limit for rockfish is the first three legal rockfish caught. Only black or blue rockfish may be retained. After the daily limit of rockfish is caught, all subsequent rockfish must be released.
(i) In Catch Record Card Area 5, it is unlawful to take rockfish by spear fishing except when this area is open to spear fishing for lingcod.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.045, 77.12.047 and 50 C.F.R., Parts 223 and 224. 11-07-107 (Order 11-30), § 220-56-235, filed 3/23/11, effective 4/23/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 10-07-105 (Order 10-64), § 220-56-235, filed 3/19/10, effective 5/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.65.200. 07-12-080, § 220-56-235, filed 6/5/07, effective 7/6/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 04-17-098 (Order 04-218), § 220-56-235, filed 8/17/04, effective 9/17/04; 04-07-009 (Order 04-39), § 220-56-235, filed 3/4/04, effective 5/1/04; 03-16-100 (Order 03-178), § 220-56-235, filed 8/6/03, effective 9/6/03; 03-05-057 (Order 03-24), § 220-56-235, filed 2/14/03, effective 5/1/03; 02-09-001 (Order 02-53A), § 220-56-235, filed 4/3/02, effective 5/4/02; 01-06-036 (Order 01-24), § 220-56-235, filed 3/5/01, effective 5/1/01. Statutory Authority: 2000 c 107 § 7. 00-17-016 (Order 00-139), § 220-56-235, filed 8/3/00, effective 9/3/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080, 77.12.040. 00-08-038 (Order 00-29), § 220-56-235, filed 3/29/00, effective 5/1/00; 99-15-081 (Order 99-102), § 220-56-235, filed 7/20/99, effective 8/20/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 98-15-032 (Order 98-119), § 220-56-235, filed 7/7/98, effective 8/7/98; 97-07-078 (Order 97-53), § 220-56-235, filed 3/19/97, effective 5/1/97; 96-05-004 (Order 96-13), § 220-56-235, filed 2/9/96, effective 5/1/96; 95-04-066 (Order 95-10), § 220-56-235, filed 1/30/95, effective 5/1/95; 94-14-069, § 220-56-235, filed 7/1/94, effective 8/1/94; 93-08-034 (Order 93-20), § 220-56-235, filed 3/31/93, effective 5/1/93; 92-11-012 (Order 92-19), § 220-56-235, filed 5/12/92, effective 6/12/92; 91-08-054 (Order 91-13), § 220-56-235, filed 4/2/91, effective 5/3/91; 90-06-026, § 220-56-235, filed 2/28/90, effective 3/31/90; 89-07-060 (Order 89-12), § 220-56-235, filed 3/16/89; 88-10-013 (Order 88-15), § 220-56-235, filed 4/26/88; 85-09-017 (Order 85-20), § 220-56-235, filed 4/9/85; 84-09-026 (Order 84-22), § 220-56-235, filed 4/11/84; 83-07-043 (Order 83-16), § 220-56-235, filed 3/17/83; 80-07-017 (Order 80-45), § 220-56-235, filed 6/11/80; 80-03-064 (Order 80-12), § 220-56-235, filed 2/27/80, effective 4/1/80.]