WSR 15-19-007
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 15-308—Filed September 2, 2015, 2:27 p.m., effective September 2, 2015, 2:27 p.m.]
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.
Purpose: Amend recreational fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-310-18000U and 220-310-19000Y [220-310-18000Y]; and amending WAC 220-310-180.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, and 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: Recent rains and cooling temperatures have increased water levels, allowing fish to move more freely upriver and alleviating the need for additional protection. Upper portions of these rivers remain closed due to protect spring/summer Chinook and the potential for falling below normal flows before fall rains are consistent. The department is in the process of adopting permanent rules that are necessary to implement the personal use fishing plans agreed-to with resource comanagers at the North of Falcon proceedings. These emergency rules are necessary to comply with agreed-to management plans, and 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 2.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 2, 2015.
J. W. Unsworth
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-310-18000B Freshwater exceptions to statewide rulesCoastal.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-310-180, effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful to violate the following provisions, provided that unless otherwise amended, all permanent rules remain in effect:
(1) Bogachiel River:
(a) From mouth to Hwy 101 bridge:
(i) Open.
(ii) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, only 1 of which may be an adult.
(b) From Hwy 101 upstream: Closed.
(c) All tributaries except Calawah River: Closed.
(2) Calawah River:
(a) From mouth to Hwy 101 bridge:
(i) Open.
(ii) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, only 1 of which may be an adult.
(b) From Hwy 101 bridge upstream: Closed.
(c) All tributaries: Closed.
(3) Dickey River:
(a) From the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to the confluence of the East and West forks:
(i) Open.
(ii) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, only 1 of which may be an adult.
(b) From the confluence of the East and West forks upstream: Closed.
(c) All tributaries: Closed.
(4) Quillayute River:
(a) Upstream of the Olympic National Park boundary near the mouth of the Quillayute River:
(i) Open.
(ii) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, up to 3 may be adults, of which only 1 may be a wild adult.
(b) All tributaries except Dickey, Sol Duc, and Bogachiel rivers: Closed.
(5) Sol Duc River
(a) From mouth to concrete pump station at Sol Duc Hatchery:
(i) Open.
(ii) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, up to 3 may be adults, of which only 1 may be a wild adult.
(b) From concrete pump station at Sol Duc Hatchery upstream: Closed.
(c) All tributaries: Closed.
(6) Clearwater River (Jefferson County):
(a) From the mouth to the Snahapish River:
(i) Open.
(ii) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, only 1 of which may be an adult; release wild coho.
(b) From Snahapish River upstream: Closed.
(c) All tributaries: Closed.
(7) Salmon River (Jefferson County):
(a) Outside of Olympic National Park and the Quinault Indian Reservation: Open.
(b) Salmon: Daily limit 6 fish, up to 3 may be adults, of which only 2 may be adult Chinook and only 1 may be a wild adult Chinook; release wild adult coho.
(8) Queets River tributaries, except Clearwater and Salmon rivers: Closed.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
WAC 220-310-18000U
Freshwater exceptions to statewide rulesCoastal. (15-227).
WAC 220-310-18000Y
Freshwater exceptions to statewide rulesCoastal. (15-250)
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.