[Order 22-32—Filed March 2, 2022, 7:59 a.m., effective March 2, 2022, 7:59 a.m.]

Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.

Purpose: Closes commercial harvest of green sea urchin in Districts 3 and 4.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-75000J; and amending WAC 220-340-750.

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 closes harvest of green sea urchin in Sea Urchin Districts 3 and 4 because the quota for these areas has been reached. This closure is pursuant to fulfill obligations of state and tribal comanager agreements. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: February 25, 2022.

WAC 220-340-75000KCommercial sea urchin fishery.

Effective immediately, until further notice, the provisions of WAC 220-340-750 regarding commercial harvest of sea urchins shall be modified as described below. All other provisions of WAC 220-340-750 not addressed herein remain in effect unless otherwise amended by emergency rule:

(1) It is unlawful for any person to fish for, take, or possess for commercial purposes any green sea urchins less than 2.25 inches; or red sea urchins measuring less than 3.25 inches or greater than 5 inches. All measurements are caliper measurements of the largest shell (test) diameter, exclusive of the spines.

(2) The following areas are open for green sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1, District 2 Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B, 23A, District 6, and District 7 except all waters of Hale Passage and Wollochet Bay within the following lines: west and north of a line starting at Point Fosdick following longitude 122°35'W southward to latitude 47°14'N thence true west to Fox Island, and east and north of a line starting at Green Point following longitude 122°41'W southward to latitude 47°16.5'N thence true east to Fox Island.

(3) The maximum cumulative landings for green sea urchin for each weekly fishery opening period is 1,500 pounds per valid designated sea urchin harvest license. Each fishery week begins Monday and ends Sunday.

The following section of Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective immediately:

Commercial sea urchin fishery. (22-27)