WSR 18-16-009
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 18-167—Filed July 20, 2018, 1:52 p.m., effective July 23, 2018]
Effective Date of Rule: July 23, 2018.
Purpose: Amends recreational Puget Sound salmon rules.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-313-06000Q; and amending WAC 220-313-060.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.12.045, 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: This emergency rule is needed to close retention of Chinook salmon in Marine Area 9 because preliminary estimates indicate that anglers have caught over half of the summer quota since the fishery opened on Monday. The fishery will close to allow fishery managers to reevaluate the catch after the weekend of fishing to determine how much available quota remains. Should there be sufficient catch available, the fishery will reopen to harvest the remaining quota. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 20, 2018.
Joe Stohr
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-313-06000SPuget Sound salmonSaltwater seasons and daily limits.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-313-060, the following rules apply:
(1) Marine Area 5
(a) Open through August 15: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release chum, wild Chinook and wild coho. 2 Additional sockeye salmon may be retained as part of the daily limit.
(b) Open August 16 through September 30. Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release chum, Chinook and wild coho. 2 Additional sockeye salmon may be retained as part of the daily limit.
(2) Marine Area 6
(a) Open through August 15: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release chum, wild Chinook and wild coho. 2 Additional sockeye salmon may be retained as part of the daily limit. Release all Chinook east of a true north-south line through the Number 2 Buoy immediately east of Ediz Hook.
(b) Waters of Port Angeles Harbor west of a line from the tip of Ediz Hook to the ITT Rayonier Dock are closed through August 15.
(c) Open August 16 through September 30: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release chum, Chinook and wild coho. 2 Additional sockeye salmon may be retained as part of the daily limit.
(3) Marine Area 7
(a) Open through July 31: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release chum and wild Chinook. 2 Additional sockeye salmon may be retained as part of the daily limit. Closed to salmon fishing in the Southern Rosario Strait and Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca closure area described in WAC 220-313-020(7).
(b) Open August 1 through September 3: Daily limit of 2 salmon; no more than one may be a Chinook salmon. Release chum. 2 Additional sockeye salmon may be retained as part of the daily limit. Closed to salmon fishing in the Southern Rosario Strait and Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca closure area described in WAC 220-313-020(7).
(c) Open September 4 through September 30:
(i) Daily limit of 2 salmon.
(ii) Release chum and Chinook.
(d) Closed to salmon fishing in Samish Bay area described in WAC 220-313-020(7).
(e) Waters of Bellingham Bay described in WAC 220-313-020(1):  Open through August 15. August 16 through September 30: Daily limit of 4 salmon; no more than 2 may be Chinook salmon.
(4) Marine Area 8-1
(a) Open August 1 through September 30: Daily limit 2 salmon. Release Chinook.
(5) Marine Area 8-2
(a) Open August 1 through September 23: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release Chinook.
(6) Marine Area 9
(a) Open through August 15, except waters in this subsection: Daily limit of 2 salmon; Release Chinook, chum and wild coho. Closed south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point through August 15 except it is permissible to fish from shore in waters south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release Chinook, chum and wild coho.
(b) Open August 16 through September 30: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release Chinook, chum and wild coho.
(c) Edmonds Fishing Pier: Open year-round. Daily limit of 2 salmon; No more than one may be a Chinook salmon. Release chum from August 1 through September 30.
(7) Marine Area 10
(a) Open through August 31: Daily limit of 2 salmon, no more than one may be a Chinook salmon. Release chum and wild Chinook.
(b) Open September 1, 2018, until further notice: Daily limit of 2 salmon. Release Chinook. Release chum September 1 through September 15.
(c) Waters of Shilshole Bay southeast of a line from Meadow Point to West Point: Closed through August 15.
(d) Waters of Elliott Bay east of a line from West Point to Alki Point: Closed through August 31, except: In years ending in odd numbers: Those waters north of a line from Jack Block Park through the north tip of Harbor Island to shore northeast of the North Waterway (47°35.47'N, 122°20.58'W), open August 15 through August 31 from Friday through Sunday of each week only. Daily limit of 2. Release Chinook, chum and wild coho.
(e) Waters of Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard south of the Manette Bridge in Bremerton, south of a line true west from Battle Point, and west of a line drawn true south from Point White: Open through September 30. Daily limit of 3 salmon. Release wild Chinook and wild coho. Release chum from August 1 through September 15.
(8) Marine Area 11
(a) Open through September 30, Daily limit 2 salmon of which 1 may be a hatchery chinook. Release Wild Chinook.
(b) Waters of Commencement Bay east of a line from the Cliff House Restaurant to the Sperry Ocean Dock are closed through July 31.
(c) Dash Point Dock, Les Davis Pier, Des Moines Pier, Redondo Pier, and Point Defiance Boathouse Dock, open year-round: Daily limit of 2 salmon; no more than one may be a Chinook salmon.
(9) Marine Area 12
(a) Open through September 30, in waters south of Ayock Point except waters listed in this subsection: Daily limit of 4 salmon. Release chum and wild Chinook.
(b) Waters within a 2,000-foot arc seaward of yellow buoys at the mouth of Finch Creek at Hoodsport Salmon Hatchery: Daily limit of 4 salmon. Release chum and wild Chinook. It is unlawful to fish for or possess salmon taken from these waters from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. It is unlawful to fish from any Hoodsport Salmon Hatchery structure except persons with disabilities who permanently use a wheelchair and who have a designated harvester card under WAC 220-220-240 may fish from the ADA–access site at the Hoodsport Salmon Hatchery, as long as persons follow all applicable department rules.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective July 23, 2018:
WAC 220-313-06000Q
Puget Sound salmon—Saltwater seasons and daily limits. (18-136)