Section 220-20-020. General provisions—Lawful and unlawful acts—Food fish other than salmon.

(1) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes any round, undressed sturgeon less than 43 inches in fork length or greater than 54 inches in fork length.

(2) It is unlawful to fish for, possess, or retain green sturgeon taken with commercial gear. Any green sturgeon taken with any type of commercial gear incidental to a lawful fishery shall immediately be returned to the water unharmed.

(3) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes or possess aboard a commercial fishing vessel for any purpose any species of halibut (Hippoglossus) unless permitted by the current regulations of the International Pacific Halibut Commission.

(4) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes sturgeon taken from any of the waters of Puget Sound or tributaries. Any sturgeon taken with any type of commercial gear incidental to a lawful fishery shall immediately be returned to the water unharmed.

(5) It is unlawful to fish for food fish for commercial purposes in the waters of Shilshole Bay, inland and inside a line projected in a southwesterly direction from Meadow Point to West Point.

(6) It is unlawful to fish for or possess for commercial purposes any starry flounder less than 14 inches in length taken by any commercial gear, in all Puget Sound Marine Fish-Shellfish Areas.

(7) It is unlawful to harvest herring eggs naturally deposited on marine vegetation or other substrate unless a person has a permit issued by the director.

(8) It is unlawful to fish for or possess carp taken for commercial purposes except as authorized by written permit from the director. However, carp taken incidental to a commercial fishery for other species may be retained for commercial purposes. Failure to comply with the provisions of the carp permit constitutes unlawful use of the carp commercial fishery license and may result in revocation of the carp permit.

(9) It is unlawful to fin sharks in Washington state waters, and it is unlawful to possess shark fins in the field unless the carcass of the shark is retained. However, once a commercially taken shark carcass has been delivered to a licensed wholesale dealer or a person acting in that capacity, and the sale of the shark has been recorded on a fish receiving ticket, the shark fins need not be retained with the shark carcass.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020. WSR 09-18-070 (Order 09-187), § 220-20-020, filed 8/28/09, effective 9/28/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 07-02-050 (Order 06-301), § 220-20-020, filed 12/27/06, effective 1/27/07; WSR 06-13-024 (Order 06-134), § 220-20-020, filed 6/13/06, effective 7/14/06; WSR 06-07-045 (Order 06-39), § 220-20-020, filed 3/9/06, effective 4/9/06; WSR 02-23-002 (Order 02-278), § 220-20-020, filed 11/6/02, effective 12/7/02; WSR 02-02-049 (Order 01-286), § 220-20-020, filed 12/27/01, effective 1/27/02; WSR 00-17-106 (Order 00-149), § 220-20-020, filed 8/16/00, effective 9/16/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 00-01-103 (Order 99-215), § 220-20-020, filed 12/16/99, effective 1/16/00; WSR 98-15-031 (Order 98-120), § 220-20-020, filed 7/7/98, effective 8/7/98; WSR 97-07-043 (Order 97-51), § 220-20-020, filed 3/14/97, effective 4/14/97; WSR 95-23-020 (Order 95-166), § 220-20-020, filed 11/8/95, effective 12/9/95; WSR 93-14-042 (Order 93-54), § 220-20-020, filed 6/29/93, effective 7/30/93. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080 and 75.28.245. WSR 90-07-003 (Order 90-17), § 220-20-020, filed 3/8/90, effective 4/8/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 90-06-045 (Order 90-15), § 220-20-020, filed 3/1/90, effective 4/1/90; WSR 80-09-072 (Order 80-69), § 220-20-020, filed 7/18/80; WSR 79-03-014 (Order 79-11), § 220-20-020, filed 2/15/79; Order 77-147, § 220-20-020, filed 12/16/77; Order 77-14, § 220-20-020, filed 4/15/77; Order 76-148, § 220-20-020, filed 12/2/76; Order 76-26, § 220-20-020, filed 4/20/76; Order 1193-A, § 220-20-020, filed 3/5/75; Order 1193, § 220-20-020, filed 3/4/75; Order 1143, § 220-20-020, filed 8/8/74; Order 1105, § 220-20-020, filed 12/28/73; Order 1057, § 220-20-020, filed 5/22/73; Order 1045, § 220-20-020, filed 3/8/73; Order 988, § 220-20-020, filed 4/28/72; Order 920, § 220-20-020, filed 5/13/71; Order 862, § 220-20-020, filed 4/16/70; Order 817, § 220-20-020, filed 5/29/69; Order 810, § 220-20-020, filed 4/17/69.]

RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020. WSR 09-18-070 (Order 09-187), § 220-20-020, filed 8/28/09, effective 9/28/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 07-02-050 (Order 06-301), § 220-20-020, filed 12/27/06, effective 1/27/07; WSR 06-13-024 (Order 06-134), § 220-20-020, filed 6/13/06, effective 7/14/06; WSR 06-07-045 (Order 06-39), § 220-20-020, filed 3/9/06, effective 4/9/06; WSR 02-23-002 (Order 02-278), § 220-20-020, filed 11/6/02, effective 12/7/02; WSR 02-02-049 (Order 01-286), § 220-20-020, filed 12/27/01, effective 1/27/02; WSR 00-17-106 (Order 00-149), § 220-20-020, filed 8/16/00, effective 9/16/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 00-01-103 (Order 99-215), § 220-20-020, filed 12/16/99, effective 1/16/00; WSR 98-15-031 (Order 98-120), § 220-20-020, filed 7/7/98, effective 8/7/98; WSR 97-07-043 (Order 97-51), § 220-20-020, filed 3/14/97, effective 4/14/97; WSR 95-23-020 (Order 95-166), § 220-20-020, filed 11/8/95, effective 12/9/95; WSR 93-14-042 (Order 93-54), § 220-20-020, filed 6/29/93, effective 7/30/93. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080 and 75.28.245. WSR 90-07-003 (Order 90-17), § 220-20-020, filed 3/8/90, effective 4/8/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 90-06-045 (Order 90-15), § 220-20-020, filed 3/1/90, effective 4/1/90; WSR 80-09-072 (Order 80-69), § 220-20-020, filed 7/18/80; WSR 79-03-014 (Order 79-11), § 220-20-020, filed 2/15/79; Order 77-147, § 220-20-020, filed 12/16/77; Order 77-14, § 220-20-020, filed 4/15/77; Order 76-148, § 220-20-020, filed 12/2/76; Order 76-26, § 220-20-020, filed 4/20/76; Order 1193-A, § 220-20-020, filed 3/5/75; Order 1193, § 220-20-020, filed 3/4/75; Order 1143, § 220-20-020, filed 8/8/74; Order 1105, § 220-20-020, filed 12/28/73; Order 1057, § 220-20-020, filed 5/22/73; Order 1045, § 220-20-020, filed 3/8/73; Order 988, § 220-20-020, filed 4/28/72; Order 920, § 220-20-020, filed 5/13/71; Order 862, § 220-20-020, filed 4/16/70; Order 817, § 220-20-020, filed 5/29/69; Order 810, § 220-20-020, filed 4/17/69.