[Order 26-83—Filed June 3, 2026, 4:48 p.m., effective June 4, 2026]

Effective Date of Rule: June 4, 2026.

Purpose: This emergency rule provides six additional halibut retention days in Marine Area 1 and carries forward previously announced openings and halibut rules in Marine areas 1 through 10.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-314-03000Z; and amending WAC 220-314-030.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 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 emergency rule revises state rules to conform to federal regulations, providing additional all-depth halibut openings in Marine Area 1 to previously announced openings. Halibut catch will be closely monitored by the department of fish and wildlife staff; seasons may close earlier if quotas are achieved. Halibut seasons are open only by emergency rule (see WAC 220-314-040(1)).

This rule also carries forward rules previously announced for Washington halibut seasons. These rules include halibut legally retained in Catch Record Card Area 5 may be landed into port within Catch Record Card Area 4 on days when halibut fishing is closed in Area 4; retention of sablefish, Pacific cod, and lingcod seaward of the 120-foot bottomfish closure in Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line on days open for halibut in Marine Area 4; retention of sablefish is allowed in waters seaward of the 120-foot bottomfish closure in Marine Area 5 on days open for halibut in Area 5; and annual halibut limit of six.

There is insufficient time to adopt 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: June 3, 2026.

WAC 220-314-03000AHalibut—Seasons—Daily and possession limits.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-314-030, and 220-314-010, effective June 4 through June 30, 2026, it is unlawful to fish for or possess halibut taken for personal use, except as provided in this section. All other provisions of WAC 220-314-030, and WAC 220-314-010, including Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas (YRCA), not addressed in this section, remain in effect unless otherwise amended by emergency rule:

(1) Marine Area 1 All Depth Fishery:

Halibut open June 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, and 28, 2026.

(2) Marine Area 2 All Depth Fishery:

Halibut open June 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, and 30, 2026.

(3) Marine Area 3 and Marine Area 4:

(a) Halibut open June 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, and 28, 2026.

(b) Anglers may fish for, retain, and possess sablefish in Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, seaward of the 120-foot bottomfish closure described by WAC 220-314-010 (2)(a) on days the halibut fishery is open in Marine Area 4.

(4) Marine Areas 5 through 10:

(a) Halibut open June 4 through June 30, 2026.

(b) Anglers may fish for, retain, and possess sablefish in Marine Area 5 seaward of the 120-foot bottomfish closure described by WAC 220-314-010 (2)(a) on days the halibut fishery is open in Marine Area 5.

(5) Marine Areas 11, 12 and 13: Halibut closed.

(6) It is unlawful to fish for, retain, possess, or land halibut into a port located within an area that is closed to halibut fishing, except it is lawful to land halibut into a port within Marine Area 4, that were lawfully retained in Marine Area 5.

(7) Halibut caught in Canadian waters may be landed into a port located within a marine area that is closed to halibut fishing. See WAC 220-310-210 for rules on Canadian-origin halibut possession.

(8) The annual limit is six halibut taken from state or offshore waters. This does not include Canadian waters; see WAC 220-310-210 for limits on Canadian-origin halibut.

(9) A violation of this section is punishable under RCW 77.15.370 or RCW 77.15.380.

Reviser's note: The typographical errors in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

The following section of Washington Administrative Code is repealed, effective June 4, 2026:

Halibut—Seasons—Daily and possession limits. (26-59)