WSR 25-18-052
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-205—Filed August 27, 2025, 3:26 p.m., effective August 28, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: August 28, 2025.
Purpose: This emergency rule opens purse seine, gillnet, and reef net fisheries authorized by the Pacific Salmon Commission in Puget Sound Management and Catch Reporting Areas 7 and 7A.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: WAC 220-354-120, 220-354-160, and 220-354-180.
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 pink salmon based on test fishing indicate that there are harvestable pink available for United States fisheries. Excluding the northern portion of Area 7A from the opening of purse seines and gillnets is necessary to protect late component Fraser River sockeye. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 27, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-354-12000BPuget Sound salmon—Purse seine—Open periods.
Effective 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., August 28, 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 are as described in this section. All other provisions of WAC 220-354-120 not contained in this section remain in effect unless otherwise altered by emergency rule:
| Areas | Open/Closed | Time | Date(s) | |
| 7, 7A | Open | 5 AM - 9 PM | 08/28/2025 | |
(a) For the purse seine fishery opening in this section 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) FV AK2150AM
(ii) FV AK9797AN
(iii) FV LADY SHARON
(iv) FV KONA ROSE
(v) FV SEA-WOLF
(vi) FV PACIFIC BREEZE
(vii) FV ST. DOMINICK
(viii) FV SEA FURY
(ix) FV MAREN E
(x) FV CHAMPION
(xi) FV LAURIANNE
(xii) FV LADY BRENDA
(xiii) FV ADIRONDACK
(xiv) FV SOUND STAR
(xv) FV ZEALOT
(xvi) FV AK6384AX
(xvii) FV WESTERN LADY
(xviii) FV GJOA
(xix) FV NORSEL
(xx) FV YANKEE BOY
(xxi) FV LUCIA
(xxii) FV TRADITION
(xxiii) FV HALCYON
(xxiv) FV AK7939AL
(xxv) FV PACIFIC DREAM
(xxvi) FV AK4273AX
(xxvii) FV NEW OREGON
(xxviii) FV WISCONSIN
(xxix) FV PAMELA JOYCE
(xxx) FV CF0292XN
(xxxi) FV LEGACY
(xxxii) FV LA NINA
(xxxiii) FV RELENTLESS
(xxxiv) FV ALASKAN ROSE
(xxxv) FV DC COLE
(xxxvi) FV POLARLAND
(xxxvii) FV SEQUEL
(xxxviii) FV Martha
(xxxix) FV Owyhee
(b) Waters north and west of a straight line drawn from the Iwersen Dock on Point Roberts in the State of Washington to the Georgina Point Light at the entrance to Active Pass in the province of British Columbia are closed to purse seines.
(c) Brailing and use of a recovery box is required and must be in compliance with WAC 220-354-100. Chinook, coho, chum, and sockeye release is required.
(d) It is unlawful to possess salmon caught in other Marine Areas while participating in this fishery.
(e) Agreement to participate in this fishery requires that a department observer be allowed on board the vessel while fishing if requested by department staff.
(f) Fishers who registered in-season for the registration and limited participation fishery opportunity, but subsequently indicated they would not participate after being contacted by department staff were removed from the list and deemed ineligible for this opportunity.
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-354-16000IPuget Sound salmon—Gillnet—Open periods.
Effective from 8:00 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. August 28, 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 are as described in this section. All other provisions of WAC 220-354-160 not addressed in this section, or unless otherwise amended by emergency rule, remain in effect:
| Area | Open/Closed | Time | Date(s) | |
| 7, 7A | Open | 8 AM - 11:59 PM | 08/28/2025 | |
(a) For the gillnet fishery opening listed in this section 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) FV WN7075KW
(ii) FV WN9872MC
(iii) FV WN6641SR
(iv) FV KELSIE DAWN
(v) FV WN7527NZ
(vi) FV WN1817MB
(vii) FV SMALL FRY
(viii) FV JAMES DEAN
(ix) FV WN4645CG
(x) FV WN0477SY
(xi) FV WN6073LE
(xii) FV WN238BB
(xiii) FV AK2826B
(xiv) FV WN1985LE
(xv) FV ELMER J
(xvi) FV WN2720JC
(xvii) FV WN4716LB
(xviii) FV HALEY MARIE
(xix) FV SANDY LEE
(xx) FV TONI M
(xxi) FV WN6251ST
(xxii) FV CAPTAIN ACE
(xxiii) FV DETERMINATION
(xxiv) FV SANJO
(xxv) FV WN22845SF
(xxvi) FV WN0293SU
(xxvii) FV MISS MAKAYLA
(xxviii) FV BAYONET
(xxix) FV WN9158GB
(xxx) FV WN4866SF
(xxxi) FV WN4802LB
(xxxii) FV GLACIER GIRL
(xxxiii) FV WN2637JF
(xxxiv) FV ST JAMES
(xxxv) FV BLUE CHIP
(xxxvi) FV WN8410LE
(xxxvii) FV WN7041P
(xxxviii) FV DANI GIRL
(xxxix) FV WENDY SUE
(xl) FV COUSIN
(xli) FV YAYA
(xlii) FV KATYA DAWN
(xliii) FV JEANA MARIE
(xliv) FV WN8742NR
(b) Waters north and west of a straight line drawn from the Iwersen Dock on Point Roberts in the State of Washington to the Georgina Point Light at the entrance to Active Pass in the province of British Columbia are closed to gillnets.
(c) Chum and sockeye release is required. It is unlawful to possess salmon caught in other Marine Areas while participating in this fishery.
(d) Agreement to participate in this fishery requires 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, but subsequently indicated they would not participate after being contacted by department staff were removed from the list and deemed ineligible for this opportunity.
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-354-18000LReef net open periods.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-354-180, effective August 28, 2025, it is unlawful to take, fish for, or possess salmon taken with reef net gear for commercial purposes in Puget Sound Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas except as provided in this section, provided that unless otherwise amended, all permanent rules remain in effect:
Open to reef net gear according to the times, dates and conditions contained in this section:
| Area(s) | Date(s) | Open/Closed | Daily open period | |
| 7 | 08/28 | Open | 5 AM - 9 PM | |
(a) Pink salmon retention is permitted on August 28. Sockeye release is required.
(b) "Quick Reporting Fisheries": All fisheries opened under this section, and any fishery opening under authority of the Fraser Panel for sockeye in Puget Sound Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas (WAC 220-301-030), are designated as "Quick Reporting Required" per WAC 220-352-325 Puget Sound salmon and sturgeon—Additional reporting requirements and WAC 220-354-090 Puget Sound salmon—Quick reporting.