Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:

(1) Crab Management Region 1 includes Marine Fish-Shellfish (MFSF) Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B. Crab Management Region 2E includes MFSF Catch Reporting Areas 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, and 26A East. Crab Management Region 2 West includes MFSF Catch Reporting Areas 25B, 25D, and 26A West. Crab Management Region 3-1 includes MFSF Catch Reporting Areas 23A and 23B. Crab Management Region 3-2 includes MFSF Catch Reporting Areas 25A, 25E, and 23D. Crab Management Region 3-3 includes MFSF Catch Reporting Areas 23C East, and Crab Management Region 3-4 consists of 23C West and 29.

(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, all crab removed from a vessel licensed and fishing in Puget Sound that are not delivered to an original receiver within 36 hours must be recorded on a commercial fish and shellfish transportation ticket. Separate commercial fish and shellfish transportation tickets must be filled out for each day's harvest retained in this manner. It is illegal to retain and store crab prior to delivery and completion of a fish receiving ticket for more than 10 days.

(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, all crab retained and removed from a vessel licensed and fishing in Puget Sound must be stored in containers based on date retained and labeled with the following:

(a) Date of harvest,

(b) An estimate of pounds of crab in each container, and

(c) Either the Marine Fish-Shellfish (MFSF) Catch Reporting Area or the Crab Management Region the catch originated from.

(4) Effective immediately, until further notice, all crab retained and removed from a vessel licensed and fishing in Puget Sound that are not delivered to an original receiver within 36 hours must be stored in containers based on date retained and labeled with the following:

(a) Date of harvest,

(b) An estimate of pounds of crab in each container,

(c) Either the Marine Fish-Shellfish (MFSF) Catch Reporting Area or the Crab Management Region the catch originated from, and

(d) Commercial fish and shellfish transportation ticket number.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-455:

(1) For the purposes of crab harvest allocation, fishing season, and catch reporting, the following Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas are modified as follows:

(a) Catch Area 23C East (23C-E) includes those waters of Puget Sound westerly of a line due north from the Ediz Hook light to the international boundary; and easterly of a line projected due north from Low Point.

(b) Catch Area 23C West (23C-W) includes those waters of Puget Sound westerly of a line due north from Low Point to the international boundary; and easterly of a line projected due north from the mouth of the Sekiu River.

(2) It is currently permissible to harvest Dungeness crab for commercial purposes from the following areas, as listed:

(a) Crab Management Region 3-3; effective immediately until further notice.

(b) Crab Management Region 1; effective immediately until January 9, 2022 at 5:40 p.m.

(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, the following areas are closed to commercial crab fishing: Crab Management Regions 2E, 3-2 and 3-4.

(4) Effective January 9, 2022 at 5:40 p.m. the following areas are closed to commercial crab fishing: Crab Management Region 1.

(5) Public Health Closures: Effective immediately, until further notice, the following areas are closed to commercial crab fishing:

That portion of Marine Fish/Shellfish Catch Area 23D west of a line from the eastern tip of Ediz Hook to the ITT Rayonier Dock.

(6) Limited Commercial Areas: It is permissible to harvest Dungeness crab for commercial purposes from the following areas as listed:

Region 1: Effective immediately until January 9, 2022 at 5:40 p.m.:

(a) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 20A between a line from the boat ramp at the western boundary of Birch Bay State Park to the western point of the entrance of the Birch Bay Marina and a line from the same boat ramp to Birch Point.

(b) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22B in Fidalgo Bay south of a line projected from the red number 4 entrance buoy at Cape Sante Marina to the northern end of the eastern most oil dock.

(c) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Deer Harbor north of a line projected from Steep Point to Pole Pass.

(7) Commercial exclusion areas: It is permissible to harvest crab for commercial purposes from the following areas as listed:

Region 1: Effective immediately until January 9, 2022 at 5:40 p.m.:

(a) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 21B in Samish Bay south of a line from Point Williams to Fish Point in waters shallower than 60 feet in depth.

(b) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Westcott and Garrison Bays east of a line projected due south from Point White to San Juan Island.

(c) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 20A in Birch Bay east of a line projected from the boat ramp at the western boundary of Birch Bay State Park to the western point of the entrance to the Birch Bay Marina.

(d) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 21A inside of Chuckanut Bay east of a line projected north from Governor's Point to the east side of Chuckanut Island, thence to Chuckanut Rock, thence to the most southerly tip of Clark's Point.

(e) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Blind Bay south of a line projected due west from Point Hudson to its intersection with Shaw Island.

(f) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Fisherman Bay south of a line projected east-west through the red number 4 entrance buoy.

(g) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Mud Bay south of a line projected through Crab and Fortress Islands intersecting Lopez Island at either end.

(h) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22B in Padilla Bay within a line projected easterly from the northern end of the eastern most oil dock at March Point to the red number 2 buoy, thence southeasterly to the red number 8 buoy, thence west to shore and following the shoreline to the point of origin.

(i) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 20B, which includes all waters of Prevost Harbor between Stuart Island and Satellite Island southwest of a line from Charles Point on Stuart Island to the northwest tip of Satellite Island and southwest of a line projected 120 degrees true from the southeast end of Satellite Island to Stuart Island.

(j) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in East Sound north of a line from the southern point of Judd Bay on the west to Giffin Rocks on the east.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-470:

(1) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to harvest crabs for commercial purposes with more than 60 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 3-3.

(2) Effective immediately, until January 9, 2022 at 5:40 p.m., it is unlawful for any person to harvest crabs for commercial purposes with more than 35 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 1.

(3) All remaining, undeployed buoy tags per license per region must be onboard the designated vessel and available for immediate inspection.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-352-340,

(1) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any wholesale dealer acting in the capacity of an original receiver of Dungeness crab landed by WDFW licensed Puget Sound commercial crab harvesters to fail to report to the department the previous day's purchases by 10:00 a.m. the day following the purchase. Reports must be made online at the Puget Sound commercial crab reporting website, by fax to (360) 302-3031, or by e-mail at crab.report@dfw.wa.gov. Reports must include all of the following:

(a) Dealer name,

(b) Dealer license number,

(c) Dealer phone number,

(d) Date of delivery of crab to the original receiver, and

(e) The total number of pounds of crab caught by WDFW licensed commercial fishers by Crab Management Region or Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area.

(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, commercial harvesters of crab in Puget Sound must deliver all crab removed from their vessel to a licensed original receiver within 36 hours or submit a report of crab retained for delivery at a future date to the Department. Reports must be received within 36 hours following an offload. Reports must be made by online on the Puget Sound commercial crab reporting website or by e-mail at crab.report@dfw.wa.gov. Reports must contain all of the following:

(a) Harvester name,

(b) WDFW issued vessel ID,

(c) Puget Sound commercial license number,

(d) Date of harvest,

(e) An estimate of pounds of harvest retained by Crab Management Region or Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area, and

(f) A commercial fish and shellfish transportation ticket number.

(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, commercial harvesters of crab in Puget Sound must report the delivery of all crab to an original receiver that were previously retained off-vessel by 10:00 a.m. the day following delivery to an original receiver. Reports must be made online at the Puget Sound commercial crab reporting website, or by e-mail at crab.report@dfw.wa.gov. Reports must contain all of the following:

(a) Harvester name,

(b) WDFW issued vessel ID,

(c) Puget Sound commercial license number,

(d) Date of sale,

(e) Dealer name,

(f) Commercial shellfish transportation ticket number(s) delivered, and

(g) Fish receiving ticket number(s) corresponding to landing date of delivery.

(4) Effective immediately, until further notice, Puget Sound commercial crab license holders, or their designated alternate operators, must register which Crab Management Region that gear will be deployed in for each license they hold prior to the opening date or if licenses are not being fished. Registrations must be updated when gear moves between areas or fishing activity stops. Registrations can be made by registering on the WDFW Puget Sound commercial crabbing web page or sending an email to crab.report@dfw.wa.gov, detailing the following information:

(a) Vessel Operator Name

(b) Vessel Name and Vessel Registration Number

(c) License Number(s) to be fished

(d) Crab Management Region to be fished or an indication that licenses will remain unfished

(e) Gear Deployment Date

Reviser's note: The unnecessary underscoring in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.