EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Date of Adoption: September 9, 2003.
Purpose: Amend personal use rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 232-28-61900W and 232-28-61900Y; and amending WAC 232-28-619.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 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: Natural escapement objectives for summer chinook upstream of Wells Dam is 3,500 fish. Recent run counts past Wells Dam have exceeded 42,000 adults. Unseasonable cool Okanogan River temperatures have encouraged the chinook to migrate upstream of the confluence with the Columbia River. The summer chinook run for 2003 will provide for all the upper Columbia River hatchery brood stock fish needed and will allow for more than an average number of fish to spawn naturally. Remaining will be enough fish for an expanded sport fishery. The stock is stable, not listed under ESA, and the proposed fishery is deemed by NMFS to not likely have negative impacts on listed fish species. There is insufficient time to promulgate 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 2.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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Repealed 0;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Repealed 0;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Repealed 0.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:
Immediately.
September 9, 2003
J. P. Koenings
Director
by Larry Peck
(1) Okanogan River (Okanogan Co.) Those waters upstream of the Highway 97 bridge at Brewster to 1/4 mile below the railroad trestle near Zosel Dam. Special daily limit of six chinook salmon, no more than two adults. All sockeye, coho salmon and trout (including steelhead) must be released immediately. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restriction in effect.
(2) Similkameen River (Okanogan Co.) Those waters from the confluence with the Okanogan River upstream to the city bridge at Oroville. Special daily limit of six chinook salmon, no more than two adults. Salmon other than chinook and all gamefish must be released immediately. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restriction in effect.
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The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
| WAC 232-28-61900W | Exceptions to statewide rules -- Okanogan and Similkameen rivers. (03-223) |
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective one hour after official sunset September 30, 2003:
| WAC 232-28-61900Y | Exceptions to statewide rules -- Okanogan and Similkameen rivers. |