Purpose: Commercial fishing regulations.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-44-05000L and 220-52-05000A; and amending WAC 220-44-050 and 220-52-050.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 75.08.080.

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 regulation is necessary to achieve conservation goals and to maintain consistency between state and federal regulations. There is insufficient time to promulgate 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 2, amended 0, repealed 2.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Effective Date of Rule: May 1, 1998, 12:01 a.m.

April 29, 1998

Bern Shanks

Director

WAC 220-44-05000M  Coastal bottomfish catch limits. Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-44-050, effective 12:01 a.m. May 1, 1998 until further notice it is unlawful to possess, transport through the waters of the state or land in any Washington State port bottomfish taken from Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 58B, 59A-1, 59A-2, 59B, 60A-1, 60A-2, 61, 62, or 63 in excess of the amounts or less than the minimum sizes shown below for the following species:

1. The following definitions apply to this section:

a. Cumulative limit - A cumulative limit is the maximum amount of fish that may be taken and retained, possessed or landed per vessel per calendar month, without a limit on the number of landings or trips. For B-platoon vessels (see section 1.b.) A calendar month shall be the 16th of the month through the 15th of the following month. The cumulative limit includes all fish harvested by a vessel during the month, whether taken in limited entry or open access fisheries. Once a cumulative limit has been achieved, an operator may begin fishing on the next cumulative limit so long as the fish are not landed until after the beginning of the next cumulative limit.

b. Two-month cumulative limit is the maximum amount of fish that may be taken and retained, possessed or landed per vessel per two, fixed calendar months, without a limit on the number of landings or trips. The fixed two-two month periods are May-June, July-August, except for vessels that have elected to be endorsed in the "B-platoon" on their trawl federal limited entry permit. Two-month cumulative limits for B-platoon vessels begin on the 16th of the calendar month. These periods are: March 16th-May 15 and May 16th-July 15. No more than sixty percent of any two-month cumulative limit may be taken and retained, possessed or landed per vessel in either calendar month of the fixed, two-month period, except for vessels in the B-platoon during the final period of the calendar year. The first calendar month for purposes of the 60 percent restriction for B-platoon vessels in other periods shall be defined as the period beginning on the 16th of the month in which the trip limit begins through the 15th of the following month. The second calendar month period shall be defined as beginning on the 16th of the second month in the period through the end of the cumulative period. The two-month cumulative limit includes all fish harvested by a vessel during the two-month period, whether taken in limited entry or open access fisheries. Once a two-month cumulative limit has been achieved, an operator may begin fishing on the next two-month cumulative limit so long as the fish are not landed until after the beginning of the next two-month cumulative period.

c. Daily trip limit - The maximum amount of fish that may be taken and retained, possessed or landed per vessel from a single fishing trip in 24 consecutive hours, starting at 0001 hours.

d. Groundfish limited entry fishery - Fishing activity by a trawl, setline or bottomfish pot equipped vessel that has received a federal limited entry permit issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service endorsed for the qualifying gear type.

e. Groundfish open access fishery - Fishing activity by a vessel equipped with setline or bottomfish pot gear that has not received a federal limited entry permit, or a vessel using gear other than trawl, setline or bottomfish pot gear.

f. Vessel trip - A vessel trip is defined as having occurred upon the initiation of transfer of catch from a fishing vessel.

g. Vessel trip limit - The amount of fish that may not be exceeded per vessel trip. All fish aboard a fishing vessel upon the initiation of transfer of catch are to be counted towards the vessel trip limit.

h. Dressed length - The dressed length of a fish is the distance from the anterior insertion of the first dorsal fin to the tip of the tail.

2. Groundfish limited entry fishery limits. The following limits apply to the groundfish limited entry fishery in Coastal Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 58B, 59A-1, 59A-2, 59B, 60A-1, 60A-2, 61, 62, and 63 (notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-44-030):

a. Pacific ocean perch - Two-month cumulative limit of 8,000 pounds. No minimum size.

b. Widow rockfish - Two-month cumulative limit of 30,000 pounds.

c. Shortbelly rockfish - No minimum size. No maximum poundage.

d. Black rockfish - The vessel trip limit for black rockfish for commercial fishing vessels using hook-and-line gear between the U.S. Canada border and Cape Alava (4809'30" N. latitude) and between Destruction Island (4740'00" N. latitude) and Leadbetter Point (4638'10" N. latitude), is 100 pounds (round weight) or 30 percent by weight of all fish on board including salmon, whichever is greater, per vessel trip.

e. Sebastes complex - All species of rockfish except Pacific ocean perch, widow, shortbelly, and thornyhead (Sebastolobus spp.) Two-month cumulative limit of 40,000 pounds, of which no more than 13,000 pounds may be yellowtail rockfish and no more than 15,000 pounds may be canary rockfish.

f. DTS Complex - (Dover sole, Thornyhead rockfish, and Sablefish) - Dover sole, two-month cumulative limit of 22,000 pounds. Longspine thornyheads, two-month cumulative limit of 12,000 pounds. Shortspine thornyheads, two-month cumulative limit of 5,000 pounds. Sablefish; for trawl vessels, two-month cumulative limit of 6,000 pounds; for non-trawl vessels, two-month cumulative limit of 1,800 pounds.

g. Sablefish -

(1) Trawl vessels - Not more than 500 pounds (round weight) of sablefish per trip may be smaller than 22 inches. Sablefish total length of 22 inches is equivalent to dressed length of 15.5 inches. To convert sablefish from dressed weight to round weight, multiply the dressed weight by 1.6.

(2) Non-trawl vessels - Daily trip limit of 300 pounds (round weight) not to exceed 1,800 pounds in any fixed, two-month calendar period calender month. The restriction of landing no more than 60% of the two-month cumulative allowance in a single calendar month does not apply. No minimum size.

h. Pacific Whiting - 10,000 pound vessel trip limit. No minimum size. Effective 12:01 a.m., June 15, no maximum poundage. No minimum size.

i. Lingcod - Two-month cumulative limit of 1,000 pounds. Total length minimum size limit of 24 inches. Lingcod total length of 24 inches is equivalent to dressed length of 19.5 inches. To convert lingcod from dressed weight to round weight, multiply the dressed weight by 1.5. To convert lingcod from dressed, head on (gutted only), weight, multiply the dressed weight by 1.1.

(1) It shall be lawful to land up to 100 pounds of lingcod under 24 inches taken in the trawl fishery only.

3. Groundfish open access fishery limits. The following limits apply to the groundfish open access fishery in Coastal Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 58B, 59A1, 59A-2, 59B, 60A-1, 60A-2, 61, 62, and 63 (notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-44-030). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, no groundfish open access fishery limit may exceed a groundfish limited entry fishery daily, vessel or cumulative limit or more than 50% of any 2-month cumulative limit:

(a) Sablefish - Daily trip limit of 300 pounds (round weight) not to exceed 700 pounds in any fixed, 2-month cumulative period. The restriction of landing no more than 60% of the two-month cumulative allowance in a single calendar month does not apply. No minimum size.

(b) Rockfish - Vessel trip limit of 10,000 pounds. Cumulative monthly limit of 40,000 pounds.

(c) Black rockfish - The vessel trip limit for black rockfish for commercial fishing vessels using hook-and-line gear between the U.S. Canada border and Cape Alava (48°09'30"N. latitude) and between Destruction Island (47°40'00" N. latitude) and Leadbetter Point (46°38'10" N. latitude, is 100 pounds (round weight) or 30 percent by weight of all fish on board including salmon, whichever is greater, per vessel trip.

(d) Lingcod - Two-month cumulative limit of 1,000 pounds. The restriction on landing no more than 60% of the two-month cumulative allowance in a single calendar month does not apply. Total length minimum size limit of 24 inches. Lingcod total length of 24 inches is equivalent to dressed length of 19.5 inches. To convert lingcod from dressed weight to round weight, multiply the dressed weight by 1.5. To convert lingcod from dressed, head on (gutted only), weight, multiply the dressed weight by 1.1.

(e) Thornyhead rockfish - Illegal to take, possess, transport or land thornyhead rockfish.

4. It is unlawful during the unloading of the catch and prior to its being weighed or leaving the unloading facility to intermix with any other species or category of bottomfish having a cumulative limit, vessel trip limit or daily trip limit.

5. The fisher's copy of all fish receiving tickets showing landings of species provided for in this section shall be retained aboard the landing vessel for 90 days after landing.

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Reviser's note: The typographical error 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.

Reviser's note: The spelling error 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.

REPEALER

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 12:01 a.m. May 1, 1998:

WAC 220-44-05000L Coastal bottomfish catch limits. (97-242)

NEW SECTION

WAC 220-52-05000B  Shrimp fishery--Coastal waters. Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-050, effective 12:01 a.m. May 1, 1998 until further notice it is unlawful in the coastal shrimp fishery to retain or land more than 500 pounds per fishing day of any incidentally taken bottomfish species or species complex, or to retain or land in excess of any daily, vessel, cumulative, or two-month cumulative limit established for the coastal bottomfish catch limits in WAC 220-44-050, whichever is the lesser amount, except that the maximum landing of sablefish taken per vessel trip may not exceed one daily trip limit and the maximum landing of thornyhead rockfish (longspine and shortspine combined) taken per vessel trip may not exceed 100 pounds.

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REPEALER

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 11:59 p.m. April 30, 1998:

WAC 220-52-05000A Shrimp fishery-Coastal waters. (98-44)