Effective Date of Rule: August 5, 2011.

     Purpose: Amend personal use fishing rules.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-56-25500H; and amending WAC 220-56-255.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020.

     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: There is sufficient halibut quota to allow for the opening of Marine Area 1. This rule conforms to action taken by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the International Halibut Commission and federal rules adopted by the National Marine Fishery Service. There is insufficient time to adopt 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     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: July 26, 2011.

Joe Stohr

for Philip Anderson

Director

     (1) Catch Record Card Area 1 - Open August 5, 2011, until further notice, Fridays through Sundays only. It is unlawful during any vessel trip to bring into port or land bottomfish except sablefish or Pacific Cod when halibut are on board.

     (2) Catch Record Card Area 2

     (i) Primary season - Closed.

     (ii) Northern Nearshore fishery - Those waters from 47 º31.70'N. latitude south to 46º58.00'N latitude and east of a line approximating the 30 fathom depth contour as defined by the following coordinates: open seven days per week until further notice.

     47 º 31.70 N. lat, 124 º 37.03 W. long

     47 º 25.67 N. lat, 124 º 34.79 W. long

     47 º 12.82 N. lat, 124 º 29.12 W. long

     46 º 58.00 N. lat, 124 º 24.24 W. long

     (3) Catch Record Card Areas 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 - Closed.

     (4) Daily limit one halibut; no minimum size limit. The possession limit is two daily limits of halibut in any form, except that the possession limit aboard the fishing vessel is one daily limit.

     (5) All other permanent rules remain in effect.

[]

     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

WAC 220-56-25500H

Halibut--Seasons--Daily and possession limits. (11-134)

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office