Wash. Admin. Code § 220-340-420 – General commercial crab fishery—Unlawful acts

(1) It is unlawful to take, fish for, land, or deliver Dungeness crab for commercial purposes from the Columbia River, Willapa Bay, Grays Harbor, and the Pacific Ocean without a valid Dungeness crab - coastal fishery license, as designated in RCW 77.70.280, or from Puget Sound without a valid Dungeness crab - Puget Sound license, as designated in RCW 77.70.110, and are in addition to the license specific unlawful act provisions described in WAC 220-340-421 and 220-340-422.
(2) Crab size and sex restrictions. It is unlawful for any person acting for commercial purposes to take, possess, deliver, or otherwise control:
1. (a) Any female Dungeness crab; or
2. (b) Any male Dungeness crab measuring less than 6-1/4 inches, caliper measurement, at the widest part of the shell immediately in front of the points (tips).
3. (c) Violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor or class C felony depending on the value of fish or shellfish taken, possessed, or delivered, punishable under RCW 77.15.550 (1)(c).
(3) Incidental catch may not be retained. It is unlawful to retain salmon, food fish, or any shellfish other than octopus that is taken incidental to any commercial crab fishing. Violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor or class C felony punishable under RCW 77.15.550(1), depending on the quantity of crab taken or possessed.
(4) Net fishing boats must not have crab on board. It is unlawful for any person to possess any crab on board a vessel geared or equipped with commercial net fishing gear while fishing with the net gear for commercial purposes or while commercial quantities of food fish or shellfish are on board. Violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor or class C felony punishable under RCW 77.15.550(1), depending on the quantity of crab taken or possessed.
(5) Area must be open to commercial crabbing. It is unlawful for any person to set, maintain, or operate any baited or unbaited shellfish pots for taking crab for commercial purposes in any area or time that is not open for commercial crabbing by rule of the department, except when acting lawfully under the authority of a valid gear recovery permit as provided in WAC 220-340-450.
Violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor or class C felony punishable under RCW 77.15.550, or a gross misdemeanor punishable under RCW 77.15.522 depending on the circumstances of the violation.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, 77.12.020, 77.12.047, 77.12.320, 77.32.050, 77.32.070, 77.32.090, and 77.65.220. WSR 26-11-003 (Order 26-68), s 220-340-420, filed 5/7/26, effective 6/7/26. 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), § 220-340-420, filed 10/31/23, effective 1/1/24. 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, § 220-340-420, filed 3/31/22, effective 5/1/22. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047. WSR 21-24-031 (Order 21-259), § 220-340-420, filed 11/22/21, effective 1/1/22. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.090, 77.04.130, 77.15.568, 77.08.010, 77.65.510, 77.65.515, and 77.65.520. WSR 17-22-100, § 220-340-420, filed 10/30/17, effective 1/1/18. 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), amended and recodified as § 220-340-420, 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), § 220-52-040, filed 11/9/12, effective 12/10/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047 and 77.04.020. WSR 09-18-075 (Order 09-183), § 220-52-040, filed 8/31/09, effective 10/1/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 07-23-090 (Order 07-285), § 220-52-040, filed 11/20/07, effective 12/21/07; WSR 05-21-068 (Order 05-246), § 220-52-040, filed 10/14/05, effective 11/14/05; WSR 01-20-066 (Order 01-219), § 220-52-040, filed 9/28/01, effective 10/29/01; WSR 01-18-005 (Order 01-180), § 220-52-040, filed 8/22/01, effective 9/22/01; WSR 01-11-009 (Order 01-74), § 220-52-040, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01; WSR 00-18-005 (Order 00-164), § 220-52-040, filed 8/23/00, effective 9/23/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 98-19-012 (Order 98-185), § 220-52-040, filed 9/4/98, effective 10/5/98; WSR 98-05-043, § 220-52-040, filed 2/11/98, effective 3/14/98; WSR 97-08-052 (Order 97-55), § 220-52-040, filed 3/31/97, effective 5/1/97; WSR 94-12-009 (Order 94-23), § 220-52-040, filed 5/19/94, effective 6/19/94; WSR 91-10-024 (Order 91-22), § 220-52-040, filed 4/23/91, effective 5/24/91; WSR 85-01-010 (Order 84-214), § 220-52-040, filed 12/7/84; WSR 84-08-014 (Order 84-24), § 220-52-040, filed 3/27/84; WSR 83-01-026 (Order 82-221), § 220-52-040, filed 12/8/82; WSR 80-13-064 (Order 80-123), § 220-52-040, filed 9/17/80; WSR 79-02-053 (Order 79-6), § 220-52-040, filed 1/30/79; Order 77-145, § 220-52-040, filed 12/13/77; Order 76-152, § 220-52-040, filed 12/17/76; Order 76-26, § 220-52-040, filed 1:45 p.m., 4/20/76; Order 1045, § 220-52-040, filed 3/8/73; Order 807, § 220-52-040, filed 1/2/69, effective 2/1/69; subsections 1, 5, 6, from Orders 409 and 256, filed 3/1/60; subsection 2 from Orders 500 and 256, filed 3/1/60; subsection 3 from Order 528, filed 6/1/61; Order 525, filed 5/3/61; Order 507, filed 4/8/60; Orders 409 and 256, filed 3/1/60; subsection 4 from Order 528, filed 6/1/61; Order 525, filed 5/3/61; Orders 409 and 256, filed 3/1/60; subsection 7 from Orders 414 and 256, filed 3/1/60; subsection 8 from Orders 410 and 256, filed 3/1/60; subsection 9 from Order 409, filed 9/14/56.]