WSR 97-21-084

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

(Fisheries)

[Order 97-212--Filed October 17, 1997, 4:44 p.m., effective October 19, 1997, 12:01 a.m.]

Date of Adoption: October 17, 1997.

Purpose: Commercial fishing regulations.

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: The scheduled purse seine and gillnet chum-directed fishery in Areas 7 and 7A are cancelled relative to Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans update of 2.5 million chum entering Johnstone Strait. This fishery is being managed according to the guidelines of the expired Pacific Salmon Treaty Chum Annex, which does not provide for directed fisheries when chum abundance is less than 3.0 million to ensure adequate spawning escapements to the Fraser River. Reef net opening in Areas 7 and 7A is considered a minor fishery relative to chum salmon catch and provides opportunity to harvest the nontreaty allocation of coho and chum salmon relative to agreements reached during the Pacific Marine Fisheries Council/North of Falcon preseason planning process, per preseason schedule. Requirement for reef net release of chinook salmon necessary due to higher than anticipated chinook incidental harvests in this area and to protect weak chinook stocks.

Openings in Areas 6D, 7B, 8D and 9A provide opportunity to harvest the nontreaty allocation of coho salmon returning to the Dungeness River, the Nooksack-Samish region of origin, the Tulalip hatchery, and Hood Canal regions of origin, per preseason adopted schedule.

Openings in Areas 10, 11, 12 and 12B provide opportunity to harvest the nontreaty allocation of coho salmon returning to the Dungeness River, the Nooksack-Samish region of origin, the Tulalip hatchery, and Hood Canal regions of origin, per preseason adopted schedule. The Port Madison restriction is necessary to reduce impacts on local chum stocks.

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 0.

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: October 19, 1997, 12:01 a.m.

October 17, 1997

Bern Shanks

Director

NEW SECTION

WAC 220-47-818 Puget Sound all-citizen commercial salmon fishery. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 220-47 WAC, effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday October 19, 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:

* AREA 6D - Skiff gillnets using 5-inch minimum mesh may fish from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, Monday October 20, 1997 through Friday October 24, 1997. Fishers may not retain chinook or pink salmon taken in Area 6D.

* AREAS 7 AND 7A - Reef nets may fish from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, Monday October 20, 1997 through Friday October 24, 1997. Reef nets may not retain chinook salmon.

* AREA 7B - Gillnets using 5-inch minimum mesh and purse seines using the 5-inch strip may fish until 4:00 p.m. Saturday November 1, 1997. * AREA 8D - Purse seines using the 5-inch strip may fish from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, Monday October 20, 1997 through Thursday October 23, 1997. Gillnets using 5-inch minimum mesh may fish from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. nightly, beginning Monday October 20, 1997, Tuesday October 21, 1997, Wednesday October 22, 1997 and Thursday October 23, 1997.

* AREA 9A - Gillnets using 5-inch minimum mesh may fish until 4:00 p.m. Saturday November 1, 1997.

* AREAS 10 AND 11 - Purse seines using the 5-inch strip may fish from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday October 20, 1997. Gillnets using 6 1/4-inch minimum mesh may fish from 5:00 p.m. Monday October 20, 1997 to 8:00 a.m. Tuesday October 21, 1997. In addition to the exclusion zones described in WAC 220-47-307, Area 10 is closed in that portion of Port Madison west of a line projected 178 degrees true from the end of Indianola dock to the landfall on the south shore of Port Madison.

* AREAS 12 AND 12B - Purse seines using the 5-inch strip may fish from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily Monday and Tuesday October 20 and 21, 1997. Gillnets using 6 1/4-inch minimum mesh may fish from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. nightly, beginning Monday October 20, 1997, and Tuesday October 21, 1997.

* Areas 4B, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7C, 7D, 7E, 8, 8A, 9, 10A, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G, 11A, 12A, 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.

* It is unlawful to retain chinook salmon taken with purse seine gear in Areas 7B, 12 or 12B.

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