(1) A person shall not commercially take Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) in Puget Sound without first obtaining a Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery license. As used in this section, "Puget Sound" has the meaning given in RCW 77.65.160(5)(a). A Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery license is not required to take other species of crab, including red rock crab (Cancer productus).

(2) Except as provided in subsections (3) and (6) of this section, after January 1, 1982, the director shall issue no new Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery licenses. Only a person who meets the following qualification may renew an existing license: The person shall have held the Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery license sought to be renewed during the previous year or acquired the license by transfer from someone who held it during the previous year, and shall not have subsequently transferred the license to another person.

(3) Where the person failed to obtain the license during the previous year because of a license suspension, the person may qualify for a license by establishing that the person held such a license during the last year in which the license was not suspended.

(4) This section does not restrict the issuance of commercial crab licenses for areas other than Puget Sound or for species other than Dungeness crab.

(5) Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery licenses are transferable from one license holder to another.

(6) If fewer than one hundred twenty-five persons are eligible for Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery licenses, the director may accept applications for new licenses. The director shall determine by random selection the successful applicants for the additional licenses. The number of additional licenses issued shall be sufficient to maintain one hundred twenty-five licenses in the Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery. The director shall adopt rules governing the application, selection, and issuance procedures for new Dungeness crab—Puget Sound fishery licenses.

Part headings not law—Effective date—1999 c 151: See notes following RCW 18.28.010.

Finding, intent—Captions not law—Effective date—Severability—1993 c 340: See notes following RCW 77.65.010.

Severability—1980 c 133: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1980 c 133 § 8.]

Legislative findings—1980 c 133: "The legislature finds that a significant commercial crab fishery is developing within Puget Sound. The legislature further finds that the crab fishery in Puget Sound represents a separate and distinct fishery from that of the coastal waters and is limited in quantity and is in need of conservation. The potential for depletion of the crab stocks in these waters is increasing, particularly as crab fishing becomes an attractive alternative to fishermen facing increasing restrictions on commercial salmon fishing.

The legislature finds that the number of commercial fishermen engaged in crab fishing has steadily increased. This factor, combined with advances in fishing and marketing techniques, has resulted in strong pressures on the supply of crab, unnecessary waste of an important natural resource, and economic loss to the citizens of the state.

The legislature finds that increased regulation of commercial crab fishing is necessary to preserve and efficiently manage the commercial crab fishery in the waters of Puget Sound." [ 1980 c 133 § 1.]