WAC 220-40-027   Salmon -- Willapa Bay fall fishery.  August 16 through December 31 of each year, it is unlawful to fish for salmon in Willapa Bay for commercial purposes or to possess salmon taken from those waters for commercial purposes, except that:


Fishing periods


     (1) Gill net gear may be used to fish for salmon and sturgeon as shown below. All nonlegal sturgeon and nonlegal steelhead must be handled with care to minimize injury to the fish and must be released immediately to the river/bay:


Time: Area:
6:00 p.m. September 15 through 6:00 p.m. September 17, 2008. Areas 2G east of a line projected true south from the most waterward exposed end of the rock jetty located near Washaway Beach, 2H west of Willapa Channel Marker 40, 2J north of a true east-west line drawn through the North Entrance Marker to the Nahcotta Boat Basin (RF #2), and 2M.
6:00 p.m. September 21 through 6:00 p.m. September 22, 2008;

AND

6:00 p.m. September 28 through 6:00 p.m. September 29, 2008.		 Area 2K
6:00 p.m. September 21 through 6:00 p.m. September 26, 2008.

AND

6:00 p.m. September 28 through 6:00 p.m. October 5, 2008.		 Areas 2G east of a line projected true south from the most waterward exposed end of the rock jetty located near Washaway Beach, 2H, 2J north of a true east-west line drawn through the North Entrance Marker to the Nahcotta Boat Basin (RF #2), and 2M.
6:00 p.m. October 7 through 6:00 p.m. October 10, 2008;

AND

6:00 p.m. October 12 through 6:00 p.m. October 14, 2008.		 Areas 2G east of a line projected true south from the most waterward exposed end of the rock jetty located near Washaway Beach, 2H, 2J north of a true east-west line drawn through the North Entrance Marker to the Nahcotta Boat Basin (RF #2), and 2M.
Noon, November 6, through 6:00 p.m. November 14, 2008. Areas 2G east of a line projected true south from the most waterward exposed end of the rock jetty located near Washaway Beach, 2H west of the Willapa Channel Marker 40, 2J north of a true east-west line drawn through the North Entrance Marker to the Nahcotta Boat Basin (RF #2), and 2M.
6:00 p.m. November 14, 2008, through noon, November 30, 2008. Areas 2G, 2H, 2J, and 2M.

     (2) The Tokeland Boat basin is closed to commercial fishing during the openings in Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Area (SMCRA) 2G, described in this section. The Tokeland Boat basin is that portion of SMCRA 2G bounded on the south by the shoreline of the boat basin, on the west by the seawall, and on the north and east by a line from the Tokeland Channel Marker "3" (flashing green, 4-seconds), to Tokeland Channel Marker "4," to the tip of the seawall.


Gear


     (3) Gill net gear restrictions - All areas:

     (a) Drift gill net gear only. It is unlawful to use set net gear.

     (b) September 1 through October 5, 2008: Six-inch maximum mesh, and net may be no more than fifty-five meshes deep. Net must hang straight from top to bottom. Strings may only be used to secure break away panels.

     (c) October 7 through October 31, 2008: Six and one-half inch maximum mesh.

     (d) November 6 through November 30, 2008: Nine-inch minimum mesh; except from 6:00 p.m. November 10 through 6:00 p.m. November 14, 2008 (coho directed), there are two alternatives:

     (i) Use six-inch maximum mesh; and net may be no more than fifty-five meshes deep. Net must hang straight from top to bottom. Strings may only be used to secure break-away panels; or

     (ii) Use nine-inch minimum mesh. Only one net of either six-inch or nine-inch configuration, not exceeding fifteen hundred feet, may be on board the vessel when in the act of fishing.


Other


     (4) Quick reporting is required for wholesale dealers and fishers retailing their catch under a "direct retail endorsement." According to WAC 220-69-240(12), reports must be made by 10:00 a.m. the day following landing.

     (5) NOAA Fisheries has listed the southern population of green sturgeon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, effective July 6, 2006. Most of the green sturgeon taken in Washington fisheries are from the southern population. Therefore, the retention of green sturgeon is prohibited, to protect this federally listed stock.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020. 08-15-003 (Order 08-166), § 220-40-027, filed 7/3/08, effective 8/3/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.047, and 77.65.200. 07-17-010, § 220-40-027, filed 8/3/07, effective 9/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 05-17-006 (Order 05-167), § 220-40-027, filed 8/3/05, effective 9/3/05; 04-16-013 (Order 04-183), § 220-40-027, filed 7/22/04, effective 8/22/04; 03-18-004 (Order 03-208), § 220-40-027, filed 8/20/03, effective 9/20/03; 02-16-021 (Order 02-173), § 220-40-027, filed 7/26/02, effective 8/26/02; 01-13-055 (Order 01-104), § 220-40-027, filed 6/15/01, effective 7/16/01; 00-23-065 (Order 00-240), § 220-40-027, filed 11/15/00, effective 12/16/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 99-24-104 (Order 99-206), § 220-40-027, filed 11/30/99, effective 12/31/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080 and 77.12.040. 98-15-081 (Order 98-122), § 220-40-027, filed 7/15/98, effective 8/15/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. 97-15-148 (Order 97-123), § 220-40-027, filed 7/23/97, effective 8/23/97; 96-13-035 (Order 96-77), § 220-40-027, 6/11/96, effective 7/12/96; 95-13-065 (Order 95-76), § 220-40-027, filed 6/19/95, effective 7/20/95; 94-16-017 (Order 94-61), § 220-40-027, filed 7/21/94, effective 8/21/94; 93-14-042 (Order 93-54), § 220-40-027, filed 6/29/93, effective 7/30/93; 90-18-023 (Order 90-77), § 220-40-027, filed 8/24/90, effective 9/24/90; 89-16-056 (Order 89-71), § 220-40-027, filed 7/28/89, effective 8/28/89.]