WSR 25-18-004
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-192—Filed August 20, 2025, 3:50 p.m., effective August 25, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: August 25, 2025.
Purpose: This emergency rule closes commercial harvest in sea cucumber District 5.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-73000W; and amending WAC 220-340-730.
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 closes commercial harvest in sea cucumber District 5. Harvestable surpluses of sea cucumbers exist in the districts specified. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 20, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
[NEW SECTION]
WAC 220-340-73000XCommercial sea cucumber fishery.
Effective August 25, 2025, until further notice, the following provisions of WAC 220-340-730 regarding Puget Sound commercial sea cucumber harvest seasons and landing limits shall be as described herein. All other provisions of WAC 220-340-730 not addressed herein, and unless otherwise amended, remain in effect:
(1) Sea cucumber harvest using shellfish diver gear is allowed in Sea Cucumber Districts 1, 2-1, and 2-2, Monday through Sunday of each week.
(2) It is unlawful for any harvester to fish for, take, or possess for commercial purposes more than 1,500 split-drained pounds of sea cucumber per license for each weekly fishery opening period.
(3) The maximum cumulative landing of sea cucumbers from August 4 through November 16, 2025, is 9,900 split-drained pounds per valid designated sea cucumber harvest license.
Reviser's note: The bracketed material preceding the section above was supplied by the code reviser's office.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective August 25, 2025:
WAC 220-340-73000W | Commercial sea cucumber fishery. (25-158) |