WSR 16-17-096 EMERGENCY RULES DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE [Order 16-214—Filed August 18, 2016, 1:39 p.m., effective August 18, 2016, 1:39 p.m.] Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.
Purpose: Amend coastal commercial crab rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-52-04000T; and amending WAC 220-52-040.
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: The weekly landing limit and period is necessary to mitigate handling mortality from sorting soft shelled crab and provide for an orderly fishery and is in conformity with the coastal Dungeness crab summer fishery management plan. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: August 18, 2016.
James B. Scott, Jr.
for J. W. Unsworth
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-52-04000U Coastal crab fishery—Weekly trip limits
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-040:
(1) Effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful for any person licensed to fish under a Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license to possess or land crab in excess of 1,200 pounds taken during each of the following coastal crab accounting periods:
August 21 - August 27, 2016
August 28 - September 3, 2016
September 4 - September 10, 2016
September 11 - September 15, 2016
(2) Any crab taken prior to August 21, 2016, and not landed before 11:59 p.m. August 20, 2016, becomes part of the August 21 - August 27, 2016 accounting period catch.
(3) It is unlawful for any person taking crab under subsection (1) of this section to fish for crab during any accounting period while having on board any crab taken in a different accounting period.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
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