WSR 18-17-017
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 18-187—Filed August 2, 2018, 3:08 p.m., effective August 5, 2018]
Effective Date of Rule: August 5, 2018.
Purpose: Amends coastal commercial crab rules.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-42000H; and amending WAC 220-340-420.
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: The weekly landing limit is necessary to protect the coastal Dungeness crab resource by mitigating handling mortality from sorting soft shelled crab and is in conformity with the coastal Dungeness crab summer fishery management plan. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: August 2, 2018.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-340-42000ICommercial crab fishery—Weekly trip limits
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420, effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful for any person licensed to fish under a Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license to possess or land crab in excess of 1,200 pounds taken during each of the following coastal crab accounting periods:
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| • | August 5 – August 11, 2018 |
| • | August 12 – August 18, 2018 |
| • | August 19 – August 25, 2018 |
| • | August 26 – September 1, 2018 |
| • | September 2 – September 8, 2018 |
| • | September 9 – September 15, 2018 |
(2) Any crab taken prior to August 5, 2018, and not landed before 11:59 p.m. August 4, 2018, become part of the August 5 through August 11, 2018 accounting period catch.
(3) It is unlawful for any person taking crab under subsection (1) of this section to fish for crab during any accounting period while having on board any crab taken in a different accounting period.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective August 5, 2018:
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WAC 220-340-42000H | Coastal crab fishery—Weekly trip limits. (18-134) |