Wash. Admin. Code § 220-314-030

Current through Register Vol. 24-11, June 1, 2024

Section 220-314-030 - Halibut-Seasons-Daily and possession limits

(1) It is unlawful to fish for or possess halibut taken for personal use except from the areas or in excess of the amounts provided for in this section:

(a) Marine Area 1: Closed except as provided by emergency rule. By-catch restriction: It is unlawful during any vessel trip to bring into port or land bottomfish, except flatfish, sablefish, Pacific cod, yellowtail rockfish, widow rock-fish, canary rockfish, redstriped rockfish, greenstriped rock-fish, silvergray rockfish, chilipepper, bocaccio, blue/deacon rockfish, and lingcod north of the Washington-Oregon border if the vessel has brought halibut into port or landed halibut.

(b) Marine Area 2:

(i) The northern near shore fishery takes place in those waters from 47°31.70'N. lat. south to 46°58.00'N. lat. and east of a boundary line approximating the 30 fathom depth contour as defined by the following coordinates:

47°31.70'N. lat., 124°37.03'W. long.

47°25.67'N. lat., 124°34.79'W. long.

47°12.82'N. lat., 124°29.12'W. long.

46°58.00'N. lat., 124°24.24'W. long.

Closed except as provided by emergency rule.

(ii) All other waters in Area 2 - Closed except as provided by emergency rule.

(iii) From May 1 through May 31, it is unlawful to fish for or possess lingcod, seaward of line approximating the 30-fathom depth contour as defined by the coordinates below. However, a person may fish for and retain lingcod on days open during the primary halibut season as described in (b)(ii) of this subsection, seaward of a line approximating the 30-fathom depth contour as defined by the coordinates below:

47°31.70'N. lat., 124°37.03'W. long.

47°25.67'N. lat., 124°34.79'W. long.

47°12.82'N. lat., 124°29.12'W. long.

46°52.94'N. lat., 124°22.58'W. long.

46°44.18'N. lat., 124°18.00'W. long.

46°38.17'N. lat., 124°15.88'W. long.

(c) Marine Areas 3 and 4 west of Bonilla-Tatoosh line - Closed except as provided by emergency rule. The following area southwest of Cape Flattery is closed to halibut fishing at all times:

Those waters within an eastward-facing C-shaped closed area defined as: Beginning at 48°18'N. lat., 125°18'W. long.; thence to 48°18'N. lat., 124°59'W. long.; thence to 48°11'N. lat., 124°59'W. long.; thence to 48°11'N. lat., 125°11'W. long.; thence to 48°04'N. lat., 125°11'W. long.; thence to 48°04'N. lat., 124°59'W. long.; thence to 48°00'N. lat., 124°59'W. long.; thence to 48°00'N. lat., 125°18'W. long.; thence to the point of origin.

It is unlawful to fish for or possess bottomfish seaward of a line approximating the 20-fathom depth contour as defined by the following coordinates, from June 1 through July 31 except, on days and times open to halibut fishing, it is permissible to retain lingcod, sablefish, bocaccio, silvergray rockfish, canary rockfish, widow rockfish, yellowtail rockfish, and Pacific cod. The retention of yellowtail rockfish and widow rockfish is permitted seaward of the line approximating 20 fathoms during the month of July:

48°23.9'N. lat., 124°44.2'W. long.

48°23.6'N. lat., 124°44.9'W. long.

48°18.6'N. lat., 124°43.6'W. long.

48°18.6'N. lat., 124°48.2'W. long.

48°10.0'N. lat., 124°48.8'W. long.

48°02.4'N. lat., 124°49.3'W. long.

47°37.6'N. lat., 124°34.3'W. long.

47°31.7'N. lat., 124°32.4'W. long.

(d) Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, closed except as provided by emergency rule. It is unlawful to fish for or possess bottomfish seaward of a line approximating 120 feet except, on days open to the Pacific halibut fishery in this area, it is permissible to retain lingcod, and Pacific cod seaward of 120 feet as defined by WAC 220-314-010. The retention of yellowtail rockfish and widow rockfish is permitted seaward of the line approximating 120 feet during the months of July and August.

(e) Marine Areas 5 through 11, and 13 - On days that the halibut fishery is open, it is lawful to fish for, retain, and possess lingcod and Pacific cod seaward of 120 feet in Marine Area 5. Closed except as provided by emergency rule.

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

(3) The possession limit is two daily limits of halibut in any form, except the possession limit aboard the fishing vessel is one daily limit. See WAC 220-310-210 for rules on Canadian-origin halibut possession.

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

(5) It is unlawful to fish for, retain, possess, or land halibut into a port located within an area that is closed to halibut fishing. This does not include halibut caught in Canadian waters. See WAC 220-310-210 for rules on Canadian-origin halibut possession.

(6) A violation of this section is punishable under RCW 77.15.370 or 77.15.380, depending on the violation.

Wash. Admin. Code § 220-314-030

Decodified by WSR 17-05-112, Filed 2/15/2017, effective 3/18/2017. Recodified from § 220-56-255.

Amended by WSR 17-17-045, Filed 8/10/2017, effective 9/10/2017

Amended by WSR 18-23-070, Filed 11/16/2018, effective 12/17/2018

Amended by WSR 19-16-001, Filed 7/24/2019, effective 8/24/2019

Amended by WSR 20-04-058, Filed 1/30/2020, effective 7/1/2020

Amended by WSR 21-16-069, Filed 7/30/2021, effective 8/30/2021