WSR 26-04-030
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 26-12—Filed January 23, 2026, 4:05 p.m., effective January 23, 2026, 4:05 p.m.]
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.
Purpose: This emergency rule opens commercial crab season in Quinault special management area (SMA).
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-45000A; and amending WAC 220-340-450.
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: The in-season management approach as described in the current state Quinault Dungeness crab management plan allows for the opening of the Quinault secondary SMA to state license holders per recent policy discussions. State commercial Dungeness crab harvest in Quinault usual and accustomed is below 50 percent of the harvestable surplus. Opening this area is necessary to move toward harvest sharing goals as described in the current harvest sharing agreement. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: January 23, 2026.
Amy H. Windrope
for Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-340-45000BCommercial crab fishery—Seasons and areas—Coastal.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-450 effective immediately until further notice: it is unlawful to fish for Dungeness crab in Washington coastal waters, including Willapa Bay, or the Columbia River, except as provided in this section.
(1) Open area: The area from Klipsan Beach, Washington (46°28.00) to the WA/OR border (46°15.00) and Willapa Bay.
(a) For the purposes of this section, the waters of Willapa Bay include the marine waters east of a line connecting 46°44.76 N, 124°05.76 W and 46°38.93 N, 124°04.33 W.
(b) Licenses and vessels designated to those licenses that fish in the coastal commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the waters between CA/OR border and Cape Falcon, Oregon (45°46.00) before the area between WA/OR border to Oysterville (46°33.00) opens, are prohibited from fishing in the following area for the durations specified:
The waters between Oysterville (46°33.00) and Destruction Island (47°40.50) until 9:00 a.m. February 8, 2026.
(2) Open area: The area from Klipsan Beach (46°28.00) to Destruction Island (47°40.50), including Grays Harbor.
Licenses and vessels designated to those licenses that participate in the coastal commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the waters from Cape Falcon, Oregon (45°46.00) to Klipsan Beach, Washington (46°28.00), including Willapa Bay, before the area between Klipsan Beach (46°28.00) and Destruction Island (47°40.50) opens, are prohibited from fishing in the area between Oysterville (46°33.00) and Destruction Island (47°40.50) until 9:00 a.m. February 8, 2026.
(3) Open area: The area from Destruction Island (47°40.50) to the U.S./Canada border.
Licenses and vessels designated to those licenses that fish in the coastal commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the waters between CA/OR border and Destruction Island (47°40.50), including Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, before the area between Destruction Island (47°40.50) and the U.S./Canada border opens, are prohibited from fishing in this area until 9:00 am February 8, 2026.
(4) The Quinault primary special management area (PSMA) is closed to fishing for Dungeness crab until 8:00 a.m. February 3, 2026. The PSMA includes the area shoreward of a line approximating the 27-fathom depth curve between Raft River (47°28.00) and Copalis River (47°08.00) according to the following coordinates:
(a) Northeast Corner (Raft River): 47°28.00 N. Lat. 124°20.70 W. Lon.
(b) Northwest Corner: 47°28.00 N. Lat. 124°34.00 W. Lon.
(c) Southwest Corner: 47°08.00 N. Lat. 124°25.50 W. Lon.
(d) Southeast Corner (Copalis River): 47°08.00 N. Lat. 124°11.20 W. Lon.
(5) The Quileute special management area (SMA) is closed to fishing for Dungeness crab until further notice. The SMA includes the area shoreward of a line approximating the 30-fathom depth curve between Destruction Island and Cape Johnson according to the following points:
(a) Northeast Corner (Cape Johnson): 47°58.00'N. Lat. 124°40.40'W. Lon.
(b) Northwest Corner: 47°58.00'N. Lat. 124°49.00'W. Lon.
(c) Southwest Corner: 47°40.50'N. Lat. 124°40.00'W. Lon.
(d) Southeast Corner (Destruction Island): 47°40.50'N. Lat. 124°24.43'W. Lon.
(6) The Makah special management area (SMA) is closed to fishing until further notice. The SMA includes the waters between 48°02.15 N. Lat. and 48°19.50 N. Lat. east of a line connecting those points and approximating the 25-fathom line according to the following coordinates:
(a) Northeast Corner: (Tatoosh Island)
(b) Northwest Corner: 48°19.50 N. Lat. 124°50.45 W. Lon.
(c) Southwest Corner: 48°02.15 N. Lat. 124°50.45 W. Lon.
(d) Southeast Corner: 48°02.15 N. Lat. 124°41.00 W. Lon.
(7) All other provisions of the permanent rule remain in effect.
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed, effective immediately:
WAC 220-340-45000A | Commercial crab fishery—Seasons and areas—Coastal. (26-03) |