WSR 25-24-037
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-296—Filed November 25, 2025, 4:15 p.m., effective December 1, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: December 1, 2025.
Purpose: The purpose of this emergency rule is to open green sea urchin harvest in District 7 and close green sea urchin harvest in District 2.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-75000S; and amending WAC 220-340-750.
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 opens commercial harvest of green sea urchins in District 7 to finish the remaining quota. This rule is also needed to close harvest of green sea urchins in District 2 because the quota is predicted to be reached, before December 1, 2025. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: November 25, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-340-75000TCommercial sea urchin fisheries.
Effective December 1, 2025, until further notice, the provisions of WAC 220-340-750 regarding commercial harvest of sea urchins shall be modified as described in this section. All other provisions of WAC 220-340-750 not addressed in this section remain in effect unless otherwise amended by emergency rule:
(1) The following areas are open for red sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 5.
(2) The following areas are open for green sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1, District 3, District 4, District 5, District 6, and District 7.
(3) It is unlawful for any harvester to fish for, take, or possess for commercial purposes a weight of more than 1,550 pounds per species of red sea urchin and green sea urchin per license for each weekly fishery opening period. This weight shall be defined as the weight of all contents inside the harvest containers, and this weight is required to be recorded on the Fish Receiving Ticket.
[REPEALER]
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective December 1, 2025:
WAC 220-340-75000S | Commercial sea urchin fisheries. (25-270) |
Reviser's note: The bracketed material preceding the section above was supplied by the code reviser's office.