WSR 16-10-007 EMERGENCY RULES DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE [Order 16-82—Filed April 21, 2016, 4:02 p.m., effective May 1, 2016] Effective Date of Rule: May 1, 2016.
Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules for coastal crab.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-52-04500P; and amending WAC 220-52-045.
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: Provisions in state/tribal management agreements will be achieved by the opening dates contained herein. The special management areas are listed in accordance with state/tribal management agreements. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 21, 2016.
J. W. Unsworth
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-52-04500Q Coastal crab seasons.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-046, effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful to fish for Dungeness crab in Washington coastal waters, the Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, or the Columbia River, except as provided for in this section.
(1) The area from the WA/OR border (46°15.00) and the U.S./Canada Border, including Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor: Open.
(2) For the purposes of this order, the waters of Willapa Bay are defined to include the marine waters east of a line connecting 46°44.76 N, 124°05.76 W and 46°38.93 N, 124°04.33 W.
(3) The Quinault Secondary Special Management Area (SSMA) is closed to fishing for Dungeness crab from the area shoreward of a line approximating the 27-fathom depth curve between Split Rock (47º24.50) and the mouth of the Copalis River (47º08.00). This area is closed until further notice. The legal SSMA is defined by the following coordinates:
(4) The Quileute Special Management Area (SMA) will open to fishing for Dungeness crab at 8:00 a.m. on May 1, 2016. The SMA includes the area shoreward of a line approximating the 30-fathom depth curve between Destruction Island and Cape Johnson according to the following points:
(5) It is unlawful for a vessel to use more than 100 pots in the Quileute SMA from 8:00 a.m. May 1, 2016, until 8:00 a.m. June 1, 2016. Fishers must pre-register with the Department of Fish and Wildlife 24 hours prior to deploying gear in this area by one of the three following methods:
(6) All other provisions of the permanent rule remain in effect.
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 unnecessary underscoring 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 May 1, 2016:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||