EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.
Purpose: Amend personal use fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 232-28-61900H; and amending WAC 232-28-619.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020.
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 May-July white sturgeon retention season for the below Wauna sport fishery. The regulation is consistent with Washington fish and wildlife commission guidance for 2011 lower Columbia River sturgeon management. The dates for retention of white sturgeon are based on actions adopted at the joint Washington-Oregon public hearing on February 8, 2011. There is insufficient time to adopt 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: April 15, 2011.
Philip Anderson
Director
(1) Effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful to retain sturgeon caught in those waters of the Columbia River and tributaries from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam.
(2) Effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful to retain sturgeon caught in those waters of the Columbia River and tributaries from John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam.
(3) Effective May 1 until further notice, it is unlawful to fish for or possess sturgeon in those waters of the Columbia River upstream from a line crossing the Columbia from Navigation Marker 82 on the Oregon shore through the upstream exposed end of Skamania Island, continuing in a straight line to a boundary marker on the Washington shore.
(4) Effective May 1 until further notice, it is unlawful to retain white sturgeon caught in those waters of the Columbia River from the mouth upstream to the Wauna powerlines, and all adjacent Washington tributaries, except a person may retain white sturgeon from May 14 through June 26 and from July 1 through July 4. Minimum size when open to retain white sturgeon in this area is 41 inches fork length May 14 through June 26 and July 1 through July 4.
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The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
| WAC 232-28-61900H | Exceptions to statewide rules -- Columbia River sturgeon. (11-53) |