[Order 20-13—Filed January 24, 2020, 4:49 p.m., effective January 24, 2020, 4:49 p.m.]

Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.

Purpose: Puget Sound commercial sea urchin fisheries.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-340-75000U; and amending WAC 220-340-750.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, and 77.12.047.

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 is needed to close the harvest of red sea urchins in Catch Reporting Areas 23B, 25A, 25B of Sea Urchin District 2, because the quota for red sea urchin in these areas has been reached. Harvestable surpluses of sea urchin exist in the districts specified. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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 24, 2020.

WAC 220-340-75000VCommercial sea urchin fisheries.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-750, effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful to take or possess sea urchins taken for commercial purposes except as provided for in this section:

(1) It is unlawful for any person to fish for, take, or possess for commercial purposes any green sea urchins less than 2.25 inches; or red sea urchins measuring less than 3.25 inches or greater than 5 inches. All measurements are caliper measurements of the largest shell (test) diameter, exclusive of the spines.

(2) The following areas are open for red sea urchin harvest seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1; Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B in District 2; and District 4 west of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 52.7 minutes west longitude.

(3) The following areas are open for green sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1; Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B, in District 2; District 6; and District 7 except all waters of Hale Passage and Wollochet Bay within the following lines: west of a line projected true south from the shoreline near Point Fosdick at 122 degrees 35 minutes west longitude to 47 degrees 14 minutes north latitude, and thence projected true west to the shoreline of Fox Island, and east of a line projected true south from the shoreline near Green Point at 122 degrees 41 minutes west longitude to 47 degrees 16.5 minutes north latitude, and thence projected true east to the shoreline of Fox Island.

(4) The maximum cumulative landings for red sea urchin and green sea urchin for each weekly fishery opening period is 1,500 pounds per species per valid designated sea urchin harvest license. Each fishery week begins Monday and ends Sunday.

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

Commercial sea urchin fishery. (19-321)

Reviser's note: The section above appears as filed by the agency pursuant to RCW 34.08.040; however, the reference to WAC 22-340-75000U is probably intended to be WAC 220-340-75000U.