Commercial crab fishery—Seasons and areas—Puget Sound.
The open times and areas for commercial crab fishing in Puget Sound are as follows:
(1) It is unlawful to fish for, take, or possess crab for commercial purposes except during open commercial crab harvest seasons and from open commercial crab management units as set by emergency rule. Commercial crab fishing will be open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset during open seasons, except as provided below.
(2) The following areas are closed to commercial crab fisheries regulated by the department:
(a) Crab Management Regions 4, 5, and 6 (WAC
220-320-110).
(b) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 20A in Lummi Bay east of a line projected from Sandy Point Light No. 2 (48.7868°, -122.7124°) to Gooseberry Point (48.7324°, -122.6728°).
(c) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 21A in Bellingham Bay west of a line projected from the exposed boulder off the southeast portion of Point Francis (48.6973°, -122.6073°) to the old pilings at Stevie's Point (48.7765°, -122.5523°).
(d) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 24A east of a line projected true north from the most westerly tip of Skagit Island (48.4131°, -122.5814°) and extending south to the most westerly tip of Hope Island (48.3959°, -122.5788°), thence southeast to Seal Rocks (48.3737°, -122.5634°), thence southeast to the green can buoy (Buoy No. 5; 48.3630°, -122.5510°) at the mouth of Swinomish Channel, thence easterly to the western tip of Goat Island (48.3630°, -122.5386°).
(e) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 24B inside a line projected from Priest Point (48.0322°, -122.2274°) to the five-meter tower (48.0156°, -122.2707°) between Gedney (Hat) Island and Priest Point, thence northwesterly on a line between the five-meter tower and Barnum Point (48.1935°, -122.4625°) to the intersection (48.1353°, -122.3999°) with a line projected true west from Kayak Point (48.1351°, -122.3678°), thence east to shore.
(f) Those waters of the Dungeness Bay Crustacean Special Management Area (WAC
220-320-120).
[Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.013,
77.04.055,
77.12.045, and
77.12.047. WSR 23-22-110 (Order 2023-10), § 220-340-455, filed 10/31/23, effective 12/1/23. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.020, 77.04-055 [
77.04.055],
77.12.045, and
77.12.047. WSR 22-08-048, § 220-340-455, filed 3/31/22, effective 5/1/22. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.013,
77.04.020,
77.04.055, and
77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-340-455, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.013,
77.04.055,
77.12.045, and
77.12.047. WSR 12-23-016 (Order 12-267), § 220-52-046, filed 11/9/12, effective 12/10/12. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047. WSR 07-23-090 (Order 07-285), § 220-52-046, filed 11/20/07, effective 12/21/07; WSR 06-08-064 (Order 06-58), § 220-52-046, filed 3/31/06, effective 5/1/06; WSR 06-01-013 (Order 05-275), § 220-52-046, filed 12/9/05, effective 1/9/06; WSR 01-11-009 (Order 01-74), § 220-52-046, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01. Statutory Authority: RCW
75.08.080. WSR 99-10-062 (Order 99-59), § 220-52-046, filed 5/3/99, effective 6/3/99; WSR 98-19-012 (Order 98-185), § 220-52-046, filed 9/4/98, effective 10/5/98; WSR 98-05-043, § 220-52-046, filed 2/11/98, effective 3/14/98; WSR 97-08-052 (Order 97-55), § 220-52-046, filed 3/31/97, effective 5/1/97; WSR 94-12-009 (Order 94-23), § 220-52-046, filed 5/19/94, effective 6/19/94; WSR 93-15-051, § 220-52-046, filed 7/14/93, effective 8/14/93; WSR 91-10-024 (Order 91-22), § 220-52-046, filed 4/23/91, effective 5/24/91; WSR 87-05-038 (Order 87-08), § 220-52-046, filed 2/18/87; WSR 85-01-010 (Order 84-214), § 220-52-046, filed 12/7/84; WSR 84-08-014 (Order 84-24), § 220-52-046, filed 3/27/84; WSR 83-01-026 (Order 82-221), § 220-52-046, filed 12/8/82; WSR 80-13-064 (Order 80-123), § 220-52-046, filed 9/17/80; Order 76-152, § 220-52-046, filed 12/17/76; Order 1179, § 220-52-046, filed 11/19/74; Order 1112, § 220-52-046, filed 4/15/74; Order 1057, § 220-52-046, filed 5/22/73; Order 920, § 220-52-046, filed 5/13/71; Order 807, § 220-52-046, filed 1/2/69, effective 2/1/69. Formerly WAC 220-52-040 (2), (3), (4) and (9).]
