EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-33-01000B; and amending WAC 220-33-010.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 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: Sets the initial opener for the spring season select areas fisheries. These fisheries are reduced in time and area compared to those originally scheduled at the January 28th compact hearing. The modified fisheries will allow limited access to select area spring chinook while minimizing risk to nonlocal stocks. Further delays of the commercial fisheries will likely reduce economic benefit of the select area spring fisheries due to increased straying of and decreasing fish quality. The select area fisheries in Deep River and Blind Slough/Knappa Slough are part of an on-going BPA funded study to design fisheries in areas outside of the mainstem Columbia River. Several stocks of salmon have been released from net pens in these select areas to provide for fisheries. All salmon returning to these net pens are harvestable. Impacts to ESA-listed stocks in these fisheries are covered under the biological opinion for the interim management agreement. This rule is consistent with actions of the Columbia River compact hearings of May 3rd and January 28, 2005, and conforms Washington and Oregon state rules. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: May 4, 2005.
J. P. Koenings
Director
1. Blind Slough Select Area
a) Area: markers at the mouth of Gnat Creek located approximately 1/2 mile upstream of the county road bridge, downstream to markers at the mouth of Blind Slough. Concurrent Washington/Oregon waters extend downstream of the railroad bridge.
b) Dates: 6:00 p.m. through 11:59 p.m. Thursday May 5th, 2005.
c) Gear: 8-inch maximum mesh. Mono-filament gill nets are allowed. Nets restricted to 100 fathoms in length with no weight restriction on leadline. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the leadline is allowed.
d) Allowable Sale: Salmon, sturgeon, shad.
e) Special transportation permits are not required to take fish outside the fishing area. Permanent transportation regulations will be in effect.
f) Other: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.
2) Deep River Select Area
a) Area: From the markers at USCG navigation marker #16 upstream to the Highway 4 Bridge.
b) Dates: 6:00 p.m. through 11:59 p.m. Thursday May 5th, 2005.
c) Gear: 8-inch maximum mesh size. Nets restricted to a maximum length of 100 fathoms and no weight restriction on leadline. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the leadline is allowed. Nets cannot be tied off of any stationary structures. Nets may not fully cross the navigation channel.
d) Allowable sale: salmon, sturgeon and shad.
e) Miscellaneous: Transportation or possession of fish outside the fishing area is unlawful. An exception to the rule would allow fishers to transport their catch out of the fishing area with a permit issued by an authorized agency employee after examining the catch.
f) Other: Quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, WAC 220-69-240.
[]
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.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative
Code is repealed effective 12:01 a.m. May 6, 2005:
| WAC 220-33-01000B | Columbia River below Bonneville. |