Section 220-56-315. Personal use crab, shrimp, crawfish—Unlawful acts.

(1) It is unlawful to take and possess crab, shrimp, and crawfish taken for personal use except by hand or with hand dip nets, ring nets, shellfish pots, or any hand-operated instrument that will not penetrate the shell. A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor, punishable under RCW 77.15.380 or 77.15.382 depending on the circumstances of the violation.

(2) It is unlawful to set, fish, or pull more than 2 units of gear at any one time, unless otherwise provided in this subsection. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.160, Infractions, or RCW 77.15.380, Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree—Penalty, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

(a) In Puget Sound waters, it is unlawful to set, fish, or pull at any one time more than 2 units of crab gear and 2 additional units of shrimp gear.

(b) In Catch Record Card Areas 4 through 13, it is unlawful for the operator of any boat from which shrimp pots are set, fished, or pulled to have on board or to fish more than 4 shrimp pots.

(c) In the Columbia River, it is unlawful to set, fish, or pull more than 3 units of crab gear.

(d) In fresh water, it is permissible to use up to 5 units of gear to fish for crawfish.

(3) It is unlawful for any person to operate a shellfish pot not attached to a buoy bearing that person's name, except that a second person may assist the pot owner in operation of the gear. A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor, punishable under RCW 77.15.382, Unlawful use of shellfish gear for personal use purposes—Penalty.

(4) It is unlawful to salvage or attempt to salvage shellfish pot gear from Hood Canal that has been lost, unless the person first obtains a permit issued by the director, authorizing that activity. A violation is punishable under RCW 77.15.180, Unlawful interference with fishing or hunting gear—Penalty. It is unlawful to fail to comply with all provisions of a permit authorizing the salvage of gear from Hood Canal. A violation of this subsection is RCW 77.15.750, Unlawful use of a department permit—Penalty.

(5) It is unlawful to dig for or possess ghost or mud shrimp taken for personal use by any method except hand operated suction devices or dug by hand. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.160, Infractions, or RCW 77.15.380, Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree—Penalty, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

(6) It is unlawful to have more than one unit of unattended gear attached to a buoy line or to fail to have a separate buoy for each unit of gear. "One unit of gear" means one ring net or one shellfish pot. A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor, punishable under RCW 77.15.382, Unlawful use of shellfish gear for personal use purposes—Penalty.

(7) In waters open only on certain days or certain hours during the day, except for those waters affected by the night closure set out in subsection (8) of this section, it is unlawful to fail to remove gear from the water if fishing for shellfish is not allowed. It is also unlawful to fail to remove gear from the water within one hour after sunset if fishing is not allowed on the next calendar day. In waters that are open continuously, except for those waters affected by the night closure set out in subsection (8) of this section, gear may be left in the water during a night closure. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.160, Infractions, or RCW 77.15.380, Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree—Penalty, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

(8) It is unlawful to set or pull shellfish pots, ring nets or star traps from a vessel in Catch Record Card Areas 1-13 from one hour after official sunset to one hour before official sunrise. A violation of this subsection is punishable under RCW 77.15.160, Infractions, or RCW 77.15.380, Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree—Penalty, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 14-01-056 (Order 13-301), § 220-56-315, filed 12/12/13, effective 1/12/14. 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), § 220-56-315, filed 11/9/12, effective 12/10/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 08-07-003, § 220-56-315, filed 3/5/08, effective 4/5/08; WSR 07-05-051 (Order 07-22), § 220-56-315, filed 2/16/07, effective 3/19/07; WSR 05-12-007 (Order 05-102), § 220-56-315, filed 5/19/05, effective 6/19/05; WSR 05-05-035 (Order 05-15), § 220-56-315, filed 2/10/05, effective 5/1/05; WSR 04-07-009 (Order 04-39), § 220-56-315, filed 3/4/04, effective 5/1/04; WSR 02-19-014 (Order 02-224), § 220-56-315, filed 9/6/02, effective 10/7/02; WSR 02-08-048 (Order 02-53), § 220-56-315, filed 3/29/02, effective 5/1/02; WSR 01-07-024 (Order 01-39), § 220-56-315, filed 3/14/01, effective 4/14/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080, 77.12.040. WSR 00-08-038 (Order 00-29), § 220-56-315, filed 3/29/00, effective 5/1/00; WSR 98-06-031, § 220-56-315, filed 2/26/98, effective 5/1/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 94-14-069, § 220-56-315, filed 7/1/94, effective 8/1/94; WSR 93-08-034 (Order 93-20), § 220-56-315, filed 3/31/93, effective 5/1/93; WSR 92-11-012 (Order 92-19), § 220-56-315, filed 5/12/92, effective 6/12/92; WSR 89-07-060 (Order 89-12), § 220-56-315, filed 3/16/89; WSR 81-05-027 (Order 81-13), § 220-56-315, filed 2/17/81, effective 4/1/81; WSR 80-03-064 (Order 80-12), § 220-56-315, filed 2/27/80, effective 4/1/80.]

RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 14-01-056 (Order 13-301), § 220-56-315, filed 12/12/13, effective 1/12/14. 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), § 220-56-315, filed 11/9/12, effective 12/10/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 08-07-003, § 220-56-315, filed 3/5/08, effective 4/5/08; WSR 07-05-051 (Order 07-22), § 220-56-315, filed 2/16/07, effective 3/19/07; WSR 05-12-007 (Order 05-102), § 220-56-315, filed 5/19/05, effective 6/19/05; WSR 05-05-035 (Order 05-15), § 220-56-315, filed 2/10/05, effective 5/1/05; WSR 04-07-009 (Order 04-39), § 220-56-315, filed 3/4/04, effective 5/1/04; WSR 02-19-014 (Order 02-224), § 220-56-315, filed 9/6/02, effective 10/7/02; WSR 02-08-048 (Order 02-53), § 220-56-315, filed 3/29/02, effective 5/1/02; WSR 01-07-024 (Order 01-39), § 220-56-315, filed 3/14/01, effective 4/14/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080, 77.12.040. WSR 00-08-038 (Order 00-29), § 220-56-315, filed 3/29/00, effective 5/1/00; WSR 98-06-031, § 220-56-315, filed 2/26/98, effective 5/1/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 94-14-069, § 220-56-315, filed 7/1/94, effective 8/1/94; WSR 93-08-034 (Order 93-20), § 220-56-315, filed 3/31/93, effective 5/1/93; WSR 92-11-012 (Order 92-19), § 220-56-315, filed 5/12/92, effective 6/12/92; WSR 89-07-060 (Order 89-12), § 220-56-315, filed 3/16/89; WSR 81-05-027 (Order 81-13), § 220-56-315, filed 2/17/81, effective 4/1/81; WSR 80-03-064 (Order 80-12), § 220-56-315, filed 2/27/80, effective 4/1/80.