EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Effective Date of Rule: March 15, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
Purpose: Amend commercial fishing rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-52-04600C; and amending WAC 220-52-046.
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 closure complies with state/treaty management agreements for harvest allocation and to reduce fishing mortality in areas that do not meet the hardshell criteria. Gear retrieval period is to allow for inclement weather conditions. 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: March 14, 2007.
J. P. Koenings
Director
1) Effective 7:00 p.m. on March 15, 2007, until further notice, it will be unlawful to fish for Dungeness Crab for commercial purposes in those waters of Marine Fish Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 26AW, 25B, 25D, 23C and 29 (Crab Management Regions 2 West and 3-3). Fishers may continue to remove their gear from the grounds until 7:00 p.m. on March 18, 2007. No crab may be landed from or possessed from these areas after 7:00 p.m. on March 15, 2007.
2) Effective 7:00 p.m on March 31, 2007, until further notice, it will be unlawful to fish for Dungeness Crab for commercial purposes in those waters of Marine Fish Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 23A, 23B, 25A, 25E, 23D (Crab Management Regions 3-1 and 3-2).
3) Effective immediately until further notice, it will be unlawful to fish for Dungeness Crab for commercial purposes in those waters of Marine Fish Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B, 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, and 26A-East (Crab Management Regions 1 and 2 East).
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The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective 7:00 p.m. on March 15, 2007:
| WAC 220-52-04600C | Crab fishery -- Seasons and areas. (07-26) |