(1) It is unlawful for any person while engaged in commercial fishing for sturgeon, bottomfish or halibut to:
(a) Keep sturgeon smaller or greater than the size limits provided for in WAC
220-353-030, keep more than one sturgeon for personal use, or keep more than the equivalent of one daily limit of sport caught bottomfish for personal use. Any lingcod to be retained for personal use taken east of the mouth of the Sekiu River must be greater than 26 inches in length and may not exceed 40 inches in length. All commercially taken sturgeon, bottomfish, and halibut retained for personal use must be recorded on fish receiving tickets.
(b) Sell any sturgeon, bottomfish, or halibut taken under such license to anyone other than a wholesale fish buyer within or outside the state of Washington may sell to individuals or corporations other than licensed fish dealers.
(c) Remove from the body cavity of the sturgeon any eggs or roe prior to the time the sturgeon is sold to a wholesale fish buyer.
(2) It is unlawful for any wholesale fish buyer to purchase or attempt to purchase sturgeon eggs from sturgeon taken by any person licensed to take sturgeon for commercial purposes under chapter
77.65 RCW if the sturgeon eggs have been removed from the body cavity of the sturgeon prior to the sale of the sturgeon.
(3) It is unlawful to purchase, sell, barter or attempt to purchase, sell, or barter any sturgeon eggs taken from sturgeon caught in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam.
(4) It is unlawful to remove either the head or tail from a sturgeon prior to the time the sturgeon is sold to a wholesale dealer licensed under RCW
77.65.280 and delivered to a fish processing plant.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.090,
77.04.130,
77.15.568,
77.08.010,
77.65.510,
77.65.515, and
77.65.520. WSR 17-22-100, § 220-353-110, filed 10/30/17, effective 1/1/18. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.013,
77.04.020,
77.04.055, and
77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), amended and recodified as § 220-353-110, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047. WSR 07-21-128 (Order 07-266), § 220-20-021, filed 10/23/07, effective 11/23/07; WSR 07-04-030, § 220-20-021, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07; WSR 06-05-094 (Order 06-24), § 220-20-021, filed 2/14/06, effective 3/17/06. Statutory Authority: RCW
75.08.080. WSR 97-07-043 (Order 97-51), § 220-20-021, filed 3/14/97, effective 4/14/97; WSR 94-12-009 (Order 94-23), § 220-20-021, filed 5/19/94, effective 6/19/94; WSR 85-08-023 (Order 85-24), § 220-20-021, filed 4/1/85; WSR 82-17-040 (Order 82-105), § 220-20-021, filed 8/13/82.]