PERMANENT RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The purpose of the proposal is to provide additional protection for bottomfish resources in Marine Catch Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line by reducing the aggregate bottomfish daily limit from fifteen to ten in WAC 220-56-235.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: Although public comments indicated more support for the status quo than for other alternatives that the department recommended and the fish and wildlife commission adopted, these rule changes are necessary to provide additional protection to bottomfish resources in this area. The reduced aggregate bag limit falls in line with the changes made early in 2010 that reduced the daily sublimit for rockfish from ten to six, which is part of the aggregate bag limit. These rule changes do not close areas that the public felt would create negative economic impacts, and they do not limit access for small-boat fishermen.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-56-235 Possession limits -- Bottomfish.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.
Other Authority: 50 C.F.R., Parts 223 and 224.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 10-21-117 on October 10, 2010.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The fish and wildlife commission considered but decided not to make changes to WAC 220-16-890, 220-16-900, 220-16-910, 220-16-920, 220-16-930, 220-16-940, and 220-20-100. These WACs will be withdrawn.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 5, 2011.
Miranda Wecker, Chair
Fish and Wildlife Commission
OTS-3722.1
ALTERNATIVE 1 - OPTION 2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 10-64, filed 3/19/10,
effective 5/1/10)
WAC 220-56-235
Possession limits--Bottomfish.
It is
unlawful for any person to take in any day more than the
following quantities of bottomfish for personal use. The
possession limit at any time shall not exceed the equivalent
of two daily limits in fresh, frozen or processed form. Unless otherwise provided bottomfish fishing is open the
entire year.
(1) Coastal (Catch Record Card Areas 1 through 4) - 15 fish in the aggregate, except east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line - 10 fish in the aggregate, of all species and species groups of bottomfish, which may include no more than:
(a) Lingcod - 2 fish:
(i) Minimum length 22 inches in Catch Record Card Areas 1 through 3.
(ii) Minimum length 24 inches in Catch Record Card Area 4.
(b) Rockfish - 10 fish. Release all canary and yelloweye rockfish. In Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla Tatoosh Line: 6 fish. Only black or blue rockfish may be retained.
(c) Surfperch (excluding shiner perch) - 15 fish.
(d) Wolfeel - 0 fish from Catch Record Card Area 4.
(e) Cabezon - 2 fish east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line.
(2) Inner Puget Sound (Catch Record Card Areas 5 through 13):
(a) Catch Record Card Areas 5 and 6 - 15 fish in the aggregate of all species and species groups of bottomfish, which may include no more than:
| Rockfish in Marine Area 5 except | 1 fish May 1 through September 30 only black or blue rockfish may be retained. | |
| in Marine Area 5 west of Slip Point | 3 fish only black or blue rockfish may be retained. | |
| in Marine Area 6. | 0 fish | |
| Surfperch | 10 fish | |
| Pacific cod | 2 fish | |
| Pollock | 2 fish | |
| Flatfish (except halibut) | 15 fish | |
| Lingcod | 1 fish | |
| Wolf-eel | 0 fish | |
| Cabezon | 2 fish | |
| Pacific hake | 2 fish |
| Rockfish | 0 fish | |
| Surfperch | 10 fish | |
| Pacific cod | 2 fish | |
| Flatfish (except halibut) | 15 fish | |
| Lingcod | 1 fish | |
| Wolf-eel | 0 fish | |
| Cabezon | 2 fish | |
| Pollock | 2 fish | |
| Pacific hake | 2 fish |
| Rockfish | 0 fish | |
| Surfperch | 10 fish | |
| Pacific cod | 0 fish | |
| Pollock | 0 fish | |
| Flatfish (except halibut) | 15 fish | |
| Lingcod | 1 fish | |
| Wolf-eel | 0 fish | |
| Cabezon | 2 fish | |
| Pacific hake | 0 fish |
(e) It is unlawful to possess lingcod taken by angling or by spear fishing less than 26 inches in length or greater than 36 inches in length.
(f) It is unlawful to retain cabezon taken from Catch Record Card Areas 5 through 11 and 13 from December 1 through April 30.
(g) It is unlawful to retain six-gill shark taken from Catch Record Card Areas 5 through 13.
(h) In Catch Record Area 5, the daily limit for rockfish is the first legal rockfish caught, except west of Slip Point the daily limit for rockfish is the first three legal rockfish caught. Only black or blue rockfish may be retained. After the daily limit of rockfish is caught, all subsequent rockfish must be released.
(i) In Catch Record Card Area 5, it is unlawful to take rockfish by spear fishing except when this area is open to spear fishing for lingcod.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 10-07-105 (Order 10-64), § 220-56-235, filed 3/19/10, effective 5/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.65.200. 07-12-080, § 220-56-235, filed 6/5/07, effective 7/6/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 04-17-098 (Order 04-218), § 220-56-235, filed 8/17/04, effective 9/17/04; 04-07-009 (Order 04-39), § 220-56-235, filed 3/4/04, effective 5/1/04; 03-16-100 (Order 03-178), § 220-56-235, filed 8/6/03, effective 9/6/03; 03-05-057 (Order 03-24), § 220-56-235, filed 2/14/03, effective 5/1/03; 02-09-001 (Order 02-53A), § 220-56-235, filed 4/3/02, effective 5/4/02; 01-06-036 (Order 01-24), § 220-56-235, filed 3/5/01, effective 5/1/01. Statutory Authority: 2000 c 107 § 7. 00-17-016 (Order 00-139), § 220-56-235, filed 8/3/00, effective 9/3/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080, 77.12.040. 00-08-038 (Order 00-29), § 220-56-235, filed 3/29/00, effective 5/1/00; 99-15-081 (Order 99-102), § 220-56-235, filed 7/20/99, effective 8/20/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 98-15-032 (Order 98-119), § 220-56-235, filed 7/7/98, effective 8/7/98; 97-07-078 (Order 97-53), § 220-56-235, filed 3/19/97, effective 5/1/97; 96-05-004 (Order 96-13), § 220-56-235, filed 2/9/96, effective 5/1/96; 95-04-066 (Order 95-10), § 220-56-235, filed 1/30/95, effective 5/1/95; 94-14-069, § 220-56-235, filed 7/1/94, effective 8/1/94; 93-08-034 (Order 93-20), § 220-56-235, filed 3/31/93, effective 5/1/93; 92-11-012 (Order 92-19), § 220-56-235, filed 5/12/92, effective 6/12/92; 91-08-054 (Order 91-13), § 220-56-235, filed 4/2/91, effective 5/3/91; 90-06-026, § 220-56-235, filed 2/28/90, effective 3/31/90; 89-07-060 (Order 89-12), § 220-56-235, filed 3/16/89; 88-10-013 (Order 88-15), § 220-56-235, filed 4/26/88; 85-09-017 (Order 85-20), § 220-56-235, filed 4/9/85; 84-09-026 (Order 84-22), § 220-56-235, filed 4/11/84; 83-07-043 (Order 83-16), § 220-56-235, filed 3/17/83; 80-07-017 (Order 80-45), § 220-56-235, filed 6/11/80; 80-03-064 (Order 80-12), § 220-56-235, filed 2/27/80, effective 4/1/80.]