EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.
Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-47-50100T; and amending WAC 220-47-501.
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: This regulation restricts sockeye fishing in Areas 7 and 7A to address a weaker than expected summer sockeye run. It is currently estimated that the fishers have already exceeded the allowable harvest level for that stock. This regulation also enacts permanent regulation changes arising from North of Falcon agreements made by comanagers. The permanent regulation change package has been filed with the code reviser's office under expedited rule procedures, but the permanent regulation changes are not yet in effect. These emergency rules are necessary to initiate fisheries, which are scheduled to commence before those permanent rules will become effective. These fisheries are not expected to exceed chinook by-catch levels modeled during the preseason process. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: August 22, 2006.
J. P. Koenings
Director
by Larry Peck
Areas 7 and 7A:
Purse Seines - Closed
Gill Nets - Closed
Reef Nets - Closed
Areas 7B and 7C:
Purse Seines - (a) Open in Area 7B and 7C to purse seines during the following hours and dates:
6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. August 23 and August 30.
(i) It is unlawful to retain coho salmon, and any coho salmon caught must be released immediately.
(ii) It is unlawful to bring salmon aboard a vessel unless all salmon captured in the seine net are removed from the seine net using a brailer or dip net, meeting the specifications in WAC 220-47-325, prior to the seine net being removed from the water. However, small numbers of fish may be brought on board the vessel by pulling the net in without mechanical or hydraulic assistance.
(iii) The 5-inch strip requirement is not in effect during these openings.
Gill Nets - Open to gill nets as follows:
| Areas | Mesh Size | Hours | Dates |
| 7B and 7C | 7" minimum | 7:00 p.m. August 22 to 7:00 a.m. August 23. | |
| 7:00 p.m. August 24 to 7:00 a.m. August 25. | |||
| 7:00 p.m. August 27 to 7:00 a.m. August 28. | |||
| 7:00 p.m. August 29 to 7:00 a.m. August 30. | |||
| 7:00 p.m. August 31 to 7:00 a.m. September 1 | |||
Gill Nets - Open to gill nets using 5-inch minimum mesh as follows:
7:00 p.m. August 22 to 7:00 a.m. August 23.
7:00 p.m. August 24 to 7:00 a.m. August 25
7:00 a.m. August 27 through 8:00 p.m. October 28
It is unlawful to retain chum salmon in Area 9A prior to October 1 and unlawful to retain Chinook salmon at any time. Any salmon not to be retained must be released from the net by cutting the meshes ensnaring the fish.
All Other Saltwater and Freshwater Areas: Closed.
"Quick Reporting" Fisheries:
All fisheries opened under this section, and any fishery openings under authority of the Fraser Panel for sockeye or pink salmon in Areas 7 and 7A are designated as "Quick Reporting Required" fisheries.
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The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
| WAC 220-47-50100T | Puget Sound all-citizen commercial salmon fishery. (06-216) |