EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Effective Date of Rule: July 22, 2011.
Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-52-052.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020.
Other Authority: SHB 1148 (2011).
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: SHB 1148 (2011) establishes a coastal spot shrimp license limitation program. These rules are needed to implement the program and are currently being adopted by the department. These rules are interim until permanent rules take effect.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: July 13, 2011.
Philip Anderson
Director
License and area
(1) It is unlawful to fish for, possess, or deliver spot shrimp taken for commercial purposes from state waters west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, or from offshore waters, unless the fisher has a valid Washington-coastal spot shrimp pot fishery license. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.500, Commercial fishing without a license--Penalty.
(2) It is unlawful to fish for or possess spot shrimp or to set spot shrimp gear in waters of the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the state of Oregon without the licenses or permits required to commercially fish for spot shrimp within the state waters of Oregon. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.550, Violation of commercial fishing area or time--Penalty.
Season
(3) It is unlawful to fish for, take, or possess spot shrimp on board a commercial fishing vessel, except from March 15 through September 15 of each year. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.550, Violation of commercial fishing area or time--Penalty.
(4) The total allowable catch of spot shrimp taken from waters west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line and from offshore waters during a calendar year is 200,000 pounds round weight. Of this 200,000 pounds round weight, no more than 100,000 pounds can be taken south of 47 degrees 04.00' N. latitude, and no more than 100,000 pounds can be taken north of 47 degrees 04.00' N. latitude.
Gear
(5) It is unlawful to fish with spot shrimp pot gear for commercial purposes if the pots exceed a maximum 153-inch bottom perimeter and a maximum 24-inch height. It is unlawful to possess spot shrimp taken with spot shrimp pot gear that exceeds a maximum 153-inch bottom perimeter and a maximum 24-inch height.
(a) Shrimp pot gear must be constructed with net webbing or rigid mesh. At least 50 percent of the net webbing or mesh covering the sides of the pot must easily allow passage of a seven-eighths inch diameter dowel.
(b) Pot gear is required to have an escape mechanism as provided for in WAC 220-52-035.
(c) Set line end marker buoys must be floating and visible on the surface of the water, equipped with a pole, flag, radar reflector, and operating light, and marked with the clear identification of the license holder and the vessel designated on the coastal spot shrimp pot license.
(6) It is unlawful to fish for spot shrimp for commercial purposes with more than a maximum of 500 pots. It is unlawful to possess spot shrimp taken for commercial purposes with more than a maximum of 500 pots.
(7) A violation of subsection (5) or (6) of this section is punishable under RCW 77.15.520, Commercial fishing--Unlawful gear or methods--Penalty.
Incidental catch
(8) It is unlawful for persons fishing in any coastal spot shrimp fishery to deliver spot shrimp while having on board the fishing vessel any bottomfish taken in the coastal bottomfish fishery under WAC 220-44-050.
(9) It is unlawful to retain any species of finfish or shellfish taken with spot shrimp pot gear, except octopus, squid, or up to 50 pounds round weight of other shrimp species taken incidentally with spot shrimp pot gear.
(10) A violation of subsection (8) or (9) of this section is punishable under RCW 77.15.550, Violation of commercial fishing area or time--Penalty.
Harvest logs
(11) It is unlawful for any spot shrimp pot fishery license holder or vessel operator engaged in fishing for spot shrimp in the coastal commercial spot shrimp fishery to fail to complete a department-issued harvest log for all fishing activity in state or offshore waters.
(12) It is unlawful for any vessel operator engaged in fishing for spot shrimp for commercial purposes to fail to comply with the following method and time frame related to harvest-log submittal and recordkeeping:
(a) Completed harvest logs must be submitted so that the department receives them within ten days following any calendar month in which fishing occurred. Washington-coastal spot shrimp pot license holders can submit the completed harvest logs to a WDFW employee upon request, or mail the completed harvest logs to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Attention: Coastal Spot Shrimp Manager, 48 Devonshire Rd., Montesano, WA 98563.
(b) Washington-coastal spot shrimp pot license holders or vessel operators engaged in fishing for spot shrimp in the coastal commercial fishery must complete a harvest log entry for each day fished, prior to offloading the spot shrimp. Washington-coastal spot shrimp pot license holders must maintain a copy of all submitted harvest log entries for no less than three years after the fishing activity ended.
(c) Washington-coastal spot shrimp pot license holders or vessel operators can obtain a harvest logbook by contacting the department's coastal spot shrimp manager at 360-249-4628.
(13) A violation of subsection (11) or (12) of this section is a misdemeanor, punishable under RCW 77.15.280, Reporting of fish or wildlife harvest--Rules violation--Penalty.
Permit
(14) It is unlawful to fish for, retain, land, or deliver spot shrimp taken with pot gear for commercial purposes without a valid coastal spot shrimp pot fishery permit.
(15) It is unlawful to take, retain, land, or deliver any spot shrimp taken with pot gear without complying with all provisions of a coastal spot shrimp pot fishery permit.
(16) A violation of subsection (14) or (15) of this section is punishable under RCW 77.15.750, unlawful use of a department permit--Penalty.
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