WSR 14-20-018 EMERGENCY RULES DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE [Order 14-262—Filed September 19, 2014, 1:10 p.m., effective September 19, 2014, 1:10 p.m.]
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.
Purpose: This emergency rule will allow nontreaty commercial fishing opportunities in the Columbia River while protecting fish listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This rule implements federal court orders governing Washington's relationship with treaty Indian tribes, federal law governing Washington's relationship with Oregon, and Washington fish and wildlife commission policy guidance for Columbia River fisheries.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-33-01000C; and amending WAC 220-33-010.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.04.130, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.
Other Authority: United States v. Oregon, Civil No. 68-513-KI (D. Or.), Order Adopting 2008-2017 United States v. Oregon Management Agreement (Aug. 12, 2008) (Doc. No. 2546); Northwest Gillnetters Ass'n v. Sandison, 95 Wn.2d 638, 628 P.2d 800 (1981); Washington fish and wildlife commission policies concerning Columbia River fisheries; 40 Stat. 515 (Columbia River compact).
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: Extends the open hours of individual fishing periods in Deep River and Blind Slough/Knappa Slough). Opens the Blind Slough/Knappa Slough and Tongue Point/South Channel select areas for an additional day each week. Escapement of chinook and coho to the select area sites has been greater than expectations. This action provides additional opportunity to access these hatchery fish. Harvest estimates are well within ESA limits. The seasons are consistent with the U.S. v. Oregon 2008-2017 Interim Management Agreement and the fall chinook allocation agreement. The rule is consistent with compact action of July 29, and September 18, 2014. There is insufficient time to adopt permanent rules.
Washington and Oregon jointly regulate Columbia River fisheries under the congressionally ratified Columbia River compact. Four Indian tribes have treaty fishing rights in the Columbia River. The treaties preempt state regulations that fail to allow the tribes an opportunity to take a fair share of the available fish, and the states must manage other fisheries accordingly. Sohappy v. Smith, 302 F. Supp. 899 (D. Or. 1969). A federal court order sets the current parameters for sharing between treaty Indians and others. United States v. Oregon, Civil No. 68-513-KI (D. Or.), Order Adopting 2008-2017 United States v. Oregon Management Agreement (Aug. 12, 2008) (Doc. No. 2546). Some Columbia River Basin salmon and steelhead stocks are listed as threatened or endangered under the federal ESA. On May 5, 2008, the National Marine Fisheries Service issued a biological opinion under 16 U.S.C. § 1536 that allows for some incidental take of these species in treaty and nontreaty Columbia River fisheries governed by the 2008-2017 U.S. v. Oregon Management Agreement. The Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife commissions have developed policies to guide the implementation of such biological opinions in the states' regulation of nontreaty fisheries.
Columbia River nontreaty fisheries are monitored very closely to ensure compliance with federal court orders, the ESA, and commission guidelines. Because conditions change rapidly, the fisheries are managed almost exclusively by emergency rule. Representatives from the Washington (WDFW) and Oregon (ODFW) departments of fish and wildlife convene public hearings and take public testimony when considering proposals for new emergency rules. WDFW and ODFW then adopt regulations reflecting agreements reached.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1; Federal Rules or Standards: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1; 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: September 19, 2014.
Philip Anderson
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-33-01000D Columbia River season below Bonneville.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-33-010, it is unlawful for a person to take or possess salmon for commercial purposes from Columbia River Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas (SMCRA) 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E, except as provided in this section.
1) Deep River Select Area
a. SEASON: Open hours are 6 PM to 9 AM
i. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights immediately through September 27, 2014.
ii. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights September 29 through October 17, 2014. .
iii. Monday night, October 20, and Thursday night, October 23, 2014.
b. AREA: The Deep River Select Area. Concurrent-jurisdiction waters extend downstream of the Highway 4 Bridge.
c. GEAR: Gillnet. Monofilament gear is allowed. 6-inch maximum mesh. Net length: 100 fathoms maximum. No weight restriction on the lead line. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the lead line is allowed. Nets may not be tied off to stationary structures. Nets may not fully cross the navigation channel. It is unlawful to operate in any river, stream or channel any gillnet gear longer than three-fourths the width of the river, stream, or channel. "River, stream, or channel width" is defined as bank-to-bank, where the water meets the banks, regardless of the time of tide or the water level. This emergency provision supersedes the permanent rule and all other rules that conflict with it.
2) Tongue Point/South Channel Select Area.
a. SEASON: Open 4 PM to 10 AM
i. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights immediately through September 20, 2014.
ii. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights September 21 through October 31, 2014
b. AREA: Tongue Point and South Channel. All waters in this fishing area are concurrent-jurisdiction waters.
c. GEAR: Gillnet; 6-inch maximum mesh. Net length: 250 fathoms maximum.
i. Tongue Point fishing area: Weight must not exceed two pounds on any one fathom. Fishers participating in the Tongue Point fishery may have onboard un-stored gillnets legal for the South Channel fishing area.
ii. South Channel area: No weight restriction on lead line. Use of additional weights and/or anchors attached directly to the lead line is permissible.
3) Blind Slough/Knappa Slough Select Area.
(a) SEASON: Open hours are 7 PM to 7 AM through September 20, and 6 PM to 10 AM thereafter
i. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights immediately through September 20, 2014.
ii. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights September 21 through October 31, 2014.
(b) AREA: Blind Slough and Knappa Slough. An area closure of an approximately 100-foot radius at the mouth of Big Creek is in effect. Concurrent jurisdiction waters include all areas in Knappa Slough and downstream of the Railroad Bridge in Blind Slough.
(c) GEAR: Gillnet. Monofilament gear is allowed. 9 3/4-inch maximum mesh size. Maximum net length of 100 fathoms. No weight restriction on lead line. Use of additional weights and/or anchors attached directly to the lead line is permissible.
(5) Additional requirements for all Select Area commercial fisheries:
(a) Nets that are not specifically authorized for use may be onboard the vessel if properly stored, consistent with WAC 220-33-001.
(b) ALLOWABLE POSSESSION: Chinook, coho, pink and sockeye salmon and shad.
(6) Quick Reporting: 24-hour quick-reporting is required for Washington wholesale dealers, as provided in WAC 220-69-240. Columbia River reports must be submitted within 24 hours of the closure of each fishing period. This quick-reporting requirement applies to all seasons in this section.
(7) Miscellaneous: Nets fished any time between official sunset and official sunrise must have lighted buoys on both ends of the net. If the net is attached to the boat, then one lighted buoy on the end of the net opposite the boat is required.
Reviser's note: The typographical errors in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040. REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
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