WSR 26-02-009
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-313—Filed December 30, 2025, 8:05 a.m., effective January 5, 2026]
Effective Date of Rule: January 5, 2026.
Purpose: The purpose of this emergency rule is to close green sea urchin harvest in Districts 3, 4, 5, and parts of 7, close red sea urchin harvest in District 5, and open red sea urchin harvest in Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-75000U; 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 closes commercial harvest of green sea urchins in Districts 3, 4, 5, and parts of 7, and red sea urchins in District 5, to prevent overharvest of the quotas, and opens harvest of red sea urchins in Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4 to begin the primary harvest season on January 5, 2026. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: December 30, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-340-75000VCommercial sea urchin fisheries.
Effective January 5, 2026, 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 1, 2, 3, 4.
(2) The following areas are open for green sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 6, and the catch reporting areas 26B and 26C in 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 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 Washington Administrative Code is repealed, effective January 5, 2026:
WAC 220-340-75000U | Commercial sea urchin fisheries. (25-308) |