EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Date of Adoption: March 9, 2000.
Purpose: Commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-52-073.
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: Harvestable amounts of sea urchins exist in the areas described. A maximum daily landing limit is needed to prevent overharvest of the non-Indian share in the San Juan Area and Griffin Bay SMA. Two divers are allowed when a vessel is designated on two licenses, consistent with SB 5658 passed by the 1999 legislature. Prohibition of all diving within two days of scheduled sea urchin openings discourages the practice of fishing on closed days and hiding the unlawful catch underwater until the legal opening. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: March 13, 2000.
March 9, 2000
J. P. Koenings
Director
by Larry Peck
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-073, effective March 13, 2000 until further notice it is unlawful to take or possess sea urchins taken for commercial purposes except as provided for in this section:
(1) Red sea urchins: Sea Urchin Districts 1 and 2 are open only on Monday, March 13, 2000. The maximum daily landing for a vessel on March 13, 2000 is 2,000 pounds of red sea urchins. The Griffin Bay Special Management Area is open only on Tuesday, March 14, 2000. The maximum daily landing for a vessel on March 14, 2000 is 2,000 pounds of red sea urchins. It is unlawful to harvest red sea urchins smaller than 4.0 inches or larger than 5.5 inches (size in diameter exclusive of the spines).
(2) Green sea urchins: Sea Urchin Districts 3 and 4 are open only on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays each week until further notice. The minimum size for green sea urchins is 2.25 inches in diameter exclusive of the spines.
(3) Only one diver from each harvesting vessel is allowed in the water at any one time during the sea urchin harvest operation or when commercial quantities of sea urchins are aboard, except that two divers may be in the water if the vessel has been designated on two sea urchin dive fishery licenses.
(4) It is unlawful to dive for any purpose from a commercially-licensed fishing vessel on Saturdays and Sundays of each week, except vessels actively fishing geoducks under contract with the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
(5) Sea Urchin Districts:
(a) Sea Urchin District 1 (Northern San Juan Islands) is defined as Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, and those waters of Area 22A north of a line projected east-west one-quarter mile north of Lime Kiln Light on San Juan Island and west of a line projected true north from Limestone Point on San Juan Island.
(b) Sea Urchin District 2 (Southern San Juans and Port Townsend) is defined as those waters of Marine Fish/Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A south of a line projected east-west one-quarter mile north of Lime Kiln Light on San Juan Island and east of a line projected true north from Limestone Point on San Juan Island, and Areas 21A, 21B, 22B, 23A, 23B, 25A, and 25B. The following areas within Sea Urchin District 2 are closed to the harvest of sea urchins when fishing is allowed in Sea Urchin District 2:
(i) Those waters of Haro Strait north of a line projected east-west one-half mile south of Eagle Point on San Juan Island and south of a line projected east-west one-quarter mile north of Lime Kiln Light on San Juan Island.
(ii) Those waters of San Juan Channel and Upright Channel within the following lines: north of a line from Cattle Point on San Juan Island to Davis Point on Lopez Island, south of a line projected from Flat Point on Lopez Island true west to Shaw Island, west of a line from Neck Point on Shaw Island to Steep Point on Orcas Island, and south of a line from Steep Point on Orcas Island to Limestone Point on San Juan Island.
(6) Griffin Bay Special Management Area: Those waters of San Juan Channel and Upright Channel within the following lines: north of a line from Cattle Point on San Juan Island to Davis Point on Lopez Island, south of a line projected from Flat Point on Lopez Island to the northernmost point of Turn Island and thence projected true west to San Juan Island.
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