WAC 220-340-490. Commercial crab fishery — Coastal gear recovery permits

(1) Emergency coastal crab gear recovery permit. Emergency permits are granted on a case-by-case basis to allow crab fishers to recover shellfish pots that were irretrievable at the end of the lawful season opening due to extreme weather conditions. The director or director's designee may grant an emergency coastal crab gear permit once a commercial crab season is closed. Crab fishers must notify and apply to the department's enforcement program for such emergency permits within 24 hours prior to the close of the commercial crab season. (2) Coastal crab gear recovery permit. After the September 15 close of the primary coastal commercial crab season and from May 1 through September 15, the director or director's designee may grant a coastal crab gear recovery permit for licensed coastal Dungeness crab fishers to recover crab pots that remain in the ocean and belong to state licensed fishers. (3) It is unlawful to fail to follow the provisions of a coastal crab gear recovery permit. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor, punishable under RCW 77.15.750 Unlawful use of a department permit — Penalty.