WSR 25-06-055
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-25—Filed February 28, 2025, 12:04 p.m., effective March 8, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: March 8, 2025.
Purpose: This emergency rule reduces the daily possession and retention limit of canary rockfish in coastal recreational fisheries.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-314-020.
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 limits the number of canary rockfish that may be retained as part of the aggregate daily rockfish limit to five. The reduced daily limit is necessitated by a lower Washington sport harvest allocation following a recent stock assessment that indicates a smaller canary rockfish population and needed to conform to federal rules. Fishery managers will closely monitor recreational catch. Further in-season [changes] may be necessary if catches of canary rockfish are trending higher than anticipated and risk exceeds the harvest guideline. Permanent rule making has been initiated with WSR 25-03-119, filed on January 21, 2025. This rule is interim until permanent rules are in 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 28, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-314-02000JPossession limits—Bottomfish.
Effective March 8, 2025, until further notice, the following provisions of WAC 220-314-020, regarding canary rockfish retention and possession in Marine Area 1, 2, 3, and 4 (West of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) shall be modified as described in this section. All other provisions of WAC 220-314-020 not addressed in this section, or unless otherwise amended, remain in effect:
In Marine Area 1, 2, 3, and 4 (West of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) it is unlawful to retain or possess more than 5 canary rockfish during seasons and in areas open for rockfish retention.