(1) Regional fisheries enhancement groups whose projects produce surplus salmon carcasses and eggs may request that the department sell such surplus, providing the following conditions are met:

(a) Salmon must be returning to a department approved group facility (hatchery, trap or weir);

(b) An approved and current salmon rearing project must be on file with the department;

(c) The department must declare that a surplus exists beyond the needs of the department, tribes, other public entities, and group project requirements; and

(d) Use of funds generated by such sale will be approved by the regional fisheries enhancement group advisory board and the department, using the same procedure as established for handling moneys allocated from the regional fisheries enhancement group account.

(2) The department may sell the surplus salmon carcasses, nonviable eggs and viable eggs of a group project. Surplus viable salmon eggs shall be sold by the department as prescribed in chapter 220-304 WAC, Surplus salmon eggs. A group may not sell any salmon products resulting from its activities.

(3) All money received by the department from the sale of group surplus salmon carcasses, nonviable eggs and viable eggs shall be placed into the regional fisheries enhancement group account and used solely to fund the expenses of approved activities for the group that developed the project.

(4) All money received by the department from the sale of surplus salmon carcasses, nonviable eggs and viable eggs returning to state funded hatcheries shall be placed into the general regional fisheries enhancement group account. Eighty percent of this money will be distributed equally to each of the twelve groups and twenty percent will be used by the department to administer the program.

(5) All fish produced from an approved group project are intended for release into state waters. Live fish will not be transported from a group project without prior written approval of the department.

(6) Surplus carcasses from salmon returning to a group project may be seeded into and along streams if a plan to do so has been preapproved and coordinated by the department.