WSR 25-17-021
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-178—Filed August 11, 2025, 3:54 p.m., effective August 12, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: August 12, 2025.
Purpose: This emergency rule opens commercial purse seine and gillnet seasons in Puget Sound Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas 7 and 7A.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-354-120 and 220-354-160.
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: This emergency rule is needed to provide for Pacific Salmon Commission authorized commercial fisheries in Puget Sound Management and Catch Reporting Areas 7 and 7A. These fisheries have been authorized by the Fraser River panel as part of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. The latest in-season runsize estimates for sockeye salmon based on test fishing indicate that there are harvestable sockeye available for United States fisheries. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 2, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: August 11, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-354-12000WPuget Sound salmon—Purse seine—Open periods.
Effective 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., August 12, 2025, the following provisions of WAC 220-354-120 regarding commercial Purse Seine open periods in Puget Sound Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas 7 and 7A shall be as follows. All other provisions of WAC 220-354-120 not contained herein remain in effect unless otherwise altered by emergency rule:
| Areas | Open/Closed | Time | Date(s) | |
| 7, 7A | Open | 5 AM - 9 PM | 08/12/2025 | |
(a) For week 33 the following participants that have been selected and notified by the Department, or their designated alternate operator, are permitted to participate in the Area 7 and 7A purse seine fishery:
(i) Pacific Breeze
(ii) Sound Star
(iii) Western lady
(iv) Yankee boy
(v) Tradition
(vi) Ak4273ax
(vii) New Oregon
(viii) Wisconsin
(ix) Pamela Joyce
(x) Peyton Elizabeth
(b) It is unlawful to land more than 2,200 Sockeye per license during open periods listed herein.
(c) It is unlawful to possess salmon caught in other Marine Areas while participating in this fishery.
(d) Agreement to participate in this fishery will require that a department observer be allowed on board the vessel while fishing if requested by department staff.
(e) Fishers who registered in-season for the registration and limited participation fishery opportunity were contacted by telephone within seven days prior to the scheduled fishery to confirm participation. Any registrant who could not be contacted after reasonable efforts, or who declined participation, shall be deemed ineligible
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. NEW SECTION
WAC 220-354-16000ZPuget Sound salmon—Gillnet—Open periods.
Effective from 8:00 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. August 12, 2025, the following provisions of WAC 220-354-160 regarding commercial gillnet open periods for Puget Sound Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas 7 and 7A shall be as described below. All other provisions of WAC 220-354-160 not addressed herein, or unless otherwise amended by emergency rule, remain in effect:
| Area | Open/Closed | Time | Date(s) | |
| 7, 7A | Open | 8 AM - 11:59 PM | 08/12/2025 | |
(a) For week 33 the following participants that have been selected and notified by the Department, or their designated alternate operator, are permitted to participate in the Area 7 and 7A gillnet fishery:
(i) Wn7075kw
(ii) wn6641sr
(iii) wn3931p
(iv) WN7527NZ
(v) WN1817NB
(vi) James Dean
(vii) Chaos
(viii) Wn0477sy
(ix) WN607LE
(x) Wn238bbb
(xi) WN1895LE
(xii) Elmer J
(xiii) WN2720JC
(xiv) WN4716LB
(xv) Sandy lee
(xvi) Toni m
(xvii) Determination
(xviii) Sanjo
(xix) Wn2845sf
(xx) WN0293SU
(xxi) Miss Makayla
(xxii) BAYONET
(xxiii) WN9158GB
(xxiv) Wn4866sf
(xxv) WN4802LB
(xxvi) Glacier Girl
(xxvii) Wn9998rr
(xxviii) WN2637JF
(xxix) St James
(xxx) WN7041P
(xxxi) Wn 6701 kv
(xxxii) Dani Girl
(xxxiii) Cousin
(xxxiv) Wn229rp/Small Fry
(b) It is unlawful to land more than 300 Sockeye per license during open periods listed herein.
(c) It is unlawful to possess salmon caught in other Marine Areas while participating in this fishery.
(d) Agreement to participate in this fishery will require that a department observer be allowed on board the vessel while fishing if requested by department staff.
(e) Fishers who registered in-season for the registration and limited participation fishery opportunity were contacted by telephone within seven days prior to the scheduled fishery to confirm participation. Any registrant who could not be contacted after reasonable efforts, or who declined participation, shall be deemed ineligible
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.