1. (1) Barging of crab pots by undesignated vessels. It is unlawful for a vessel not designated on a Dungeness crab Puget Sound fishery license to deploy crab pot gear except under the following conditions:

   1. (a) The vessel deploys pot gear only during the 48-hour period immediately following the initial season opening date and time;
   2. (b) The primary or alternate operator designated on the license associated with the barged gear is on board the nondesignated vessel ("barge" vessel) while the gear is being deployed; and

   3. (c) The Puget Sound commercial crab license holder who owns the gear intended for barging has provided notice to the department via email at crab.report@dfw.wa.gov at least 24 hours in advance of the fishery opening date. Notice must include the following information:

      1. (i) Name and license number(s) of the owner of the gear being barged;
      2. (ii) Name of the designated primary operator, if different from the licensed owner;
      3. (iii) Name of the alternate operator, if used to deploy pots from a nondesignated vessel;
      4. (iv) Buoy brand number and number of pots to be deployed from a nondesignated vessel;
      5. (v) Name and identification numbers (WN and/or Coast Guard) of the nondesignated vessel;
      6. (vi) Puget Sound Crab Management Region or set location.
   4. (d) Violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor or class C felony punishable under RCW 77.15.500 Commercial fishing without a license—Penalty, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

2. (2) Storing crab prior to delivery to an original receiver, Puget Sound. It is unlawful for a Puget Sound commercial crab license holder to store crab off-vessel prior to delivery to an original receiver, except under the following conditions:

   1. (a) It is unlawful to store crab, off-vessel or on-vessel, for more than 10 days without making a delivery to an original receiver.

   2. (b) All crab that have been removed from a vessel and are not immediately delivered to an original receiver must be stored in containers labeled with the following:

      1. (i) Fisher name;
      2. (ii) WDFW-issued vessel ID number;
      3. (iii) Puget Sound commercial crab license number;
      4. (iv) Date of harvest;
      5. (v) The quantity of pounds of crab retained by Crab Management Region or by Marine Fish-Shellfish (MFSF) Catch Reporting Area;
      6. (vi) Containers used for storing crab removed from a vessel and not delivered to an original receiver by 5:00 p.m. of the day following the day of harvest must additionally be labeled with the commercial fish and shellfish transportation ticket number(s).
   3. (c) Storage of crab is subject to the reporting requirements described in WAC 220-352-340.
   4. (d) Violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor or class C felony punishable under RCW 77.15.500 Commercial fishing without a license—Penalty, 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 220-340-422, filed 5/7/26, effective 6/7/26.]