WSR 97-19-016

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

(Fisheries)

[Order 97-185--Filed September 5, 1997, 4:35 p.m., effective September 6, 1997, 12:01 a.m.]

Date of Adoption: September 5, 1997.

Purpose: Commercial fishing regulations.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-47-813.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 75.08.080.

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: A harvestable surplus of sockeye and pink salmon is available, as determined by the Fraser River Salmon Management Forum. Openings in Areas 7 and 7A are consistent with management agreements among parties within this forum, and provide opportunity to harvest the nontreaty allocation of Fraser River-origin sockeye and pink salmon relative to preseason run size forecasts and in-season run size updates, relative to a target of over 900,000 sockeye remaining in the nontreaty allocation. Requirement for purse seine and reef net release of chinook salmon necessary due to higher than anticipated chinook incidental harvests and to protect weak chinook stocks.

Opening in Area 7B provides opportunity to harvest the nontreaty allocation of coho salmon returning to the Nooksack-Samish region of origin, per preseason schedule. The gillnet mesh size restriction, area restriction, and purse seine release requirement in Area 7B is necessary to reduce nontreaty chinook catches relative to the nontreaty chinook allocation, relative to an in-season run size assessment of 30,000 chinook which is 22% below preseason forecast. Openings in Area 8 provide opportunity to harvest the nontreaty allocation of pink salmon destined for the Skagit region of origin, per preseason schedule relative to the in-season run size update of 750,000 pink salmon which is 30% below preseason forecast. The opening in Area 12A provides opportunity to selectively harvest the nontreaty allocation of coho salmon destined for the Quilcene National Fish Hatchery while reducing impacts to summer chum. Beach seine gear specifications are defined in WAC 220-47-427(6). These openings and restrictions are consistent with agreements reached during the Pacific Fisheries Management Council - North of Falcon preseason process, and reflect the schedule adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

All other Puget Sound areas are closed to prevent overharvest of local salmon stocks.

Atlantic salmon have recently escaped from commercial net pen operations in the Puget Sound region, and removal of this nonnative species is required to reduce any possibility of adverse impacts on indigenous fishes.

An emergency exists in that there is insufficient time to promulgate permanent rules before the fish have moved from the fishing grounds.

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 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.

Effective Date of Rule: September 6, 1997, 12:01 a.m.

September 5, 1997

Dirk Brazil

for Bern Shanks

Director

NEW SECTION

WAC 220-47-814 Puget Sound all-citizen commercial salmon fishery. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 220-47 WAC, effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday September 6, 1997 until further notice, it is unlawful to take, fish for, or possess salmon for commercial purposes taken from the following Puget Sound Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas except in accordance with the following open periods and mesh and area restrictions:

* AREAS 7 AND 7A - Reef nets may fish from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday September 7, 1997. Purse seines may fish from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday September 6, 1997. Gillnets using 5-inch minimum, 6-inch maximum mesh may fish from 8:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Saturday September 6, 1997.

* AREA 7B - Gillnets using 5-inch minimum, 5 1/2-inch maximum mesh and purse seines using the 5-inch strip may fish from 6:00 a.m. Monday September 8, 1997 to 4:00 p.m. Friday September 12, 1997. In addition to the exclusion zones described in WAC 220-47-307, Area 7B is closed south of a line projected from Governors Point to the most northerly point of Vendovi Island.

* AREA 8 - Gillnets using 5-inch minimum, 5 1/2-inch maximum mesh may fish from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, Monday September 8, 1997 and Tuesday September 9, 1997. Purse seines may fish from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, Wednesday September 10, 1997 and Thursday September 11, 1997.

* AREA 12A - Holders of Quilcene Bay salmon beach seine Experimental Fishery Permits may fish 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily:

Monday September 8, 1997 through Friday September 12, 1997

Monday September 15, 1997 through Friday September 19, 1997

Monday September 22, 1997 through Friday September 26, 1997

Monday September 29, 1997 through Friday October 3, 1997

Monday October 6, 1997 through Friday October 10, 1997

Monday October 13, 1997 through Friday October 17, 1997

All provisions of WAC 220-47-427 apply.

* Areas 4B, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 7C, 7D, 7E, 8A, 8D, 9, 9A, 10, 10A, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G, 11, 11A, 12, 12B, 12C, 12D, 13, 13A, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G, 13H, 13I, 13J, and 13K, all freshwater areas, and exclusion zones provided for in WAC 220-47-307 - Closed.

* Purse seines and reef nets may not retain chinook salmon in Areas 7, 7A, 7B or 8.

* Atlantic salmon may be retained during openings listed in this section.

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REPEALER

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday September 6, 1997: