Wash. Admin. Code § 220-310-020 - Catch record cards

It is unlawful for any person to fail to comply with the catch record requirements as provided for in this section:

(1) An angler must obtain and have in their physical possession a valid and appropriate paper or electronic Puget Sound Dungeness crab catch record card as described in WAC 220-310-010 to fish for or possess for personal use any Dungeness crab in Catch Record Card Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line, and in Catch Record Card Areas 5-13.

(2) An angler must obtain and have in their physical possession a valid and appropriate paper or electronic catch record card as described in WAC 220-310-010 to fish for or possess for personal use any anadromous salmon, sturgeon, halibut, or steelhead except a catch record card is not required for:

(a) Commercially caught salmon retained for personal use, as provided in WAC 220-354-030, and commercially caught sturgeon retained for personal use, as provided in WAC 220-353-110; and

(b) Landlocked steelhead or for salmon in waters designated as "landlocked salmon rules apply" in WAC 220-312-010 through 220-312-060.

(3) A paper or electronic catch record card remains valid as long as there is one or more unfilled spaces available for the species being fished for, except:

(a) A paper or electronic catch record card remains valid for catch-and-release sturgeon fishing when the sturgeon portion of the card is full in the mainstem Columbia River downstream from where the river forms the common boundary between Oregon and Washington.

(b) It is unlawful to use a second or subsequent paper or electronic catch record card to retain halibut or sturgeon after the first card is full.

(4) The fee for a paper or electronic catch record card for hali but is $5 when purchased with an annual saltwater fishing license, an annual combination fishing license, or an annual fish Washington license. There is no charge for a paper or electronic catch record card for halibut with a temporary combination fishing license that is valid for one to three consecutive days, or with a one-day charter boat or guide operator stamp license, or with a youth license.

(5) Immediately upon catching and possessing a salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, Dungeness crab, or halibut, anglers must enter in the appropriate field on the paper or electronic catch record card, the place, date of catch, and species. Anglers in physical possession of a paper catch record card must enter all required information in ink. Anglers in physical possession of an electronic catch record card must enter all required information through the department-authorized mobile application.

(a) Sturgeon anglers must also record the length of the fish;

(b) Halibut anglers must also record the vessel type;

(c) Salmon anglers must also indicate whether or not the fish was marked by having a clipped adipose fin;

(d) Puget Sound Dungeness crab anglers must also provide a tally mark or count of each Dungeness crab retained from each catch record card area fished. At the end of the fishing day, the fisher must enter the total number of crab tally marks for each fishery type.

(6) Every person issued a paper catch record card must, by April 30 of the year after they used the card, return the card to the department of fish and wildlife or report the card information at the designated internet site by dates indicated on the card, except:

(a) People issued a paper Puget Sound Dungeness crab catch record card must return the card to the Washington department of fish and wildlife or report the card information at the designated internet site by the dates indicated on the card. Anglers using the electronic catch record card must record harvest immediately. If no crab are retained, mobile application users must record no harvest by the end of the season through the department-authorized mobile application.

(b) Failure to return a paper Dungeness crab catch record card or to report the Dungeness crab catch record card information electronically at the designated internet site or through the department-authorized mobile application by the dates indicated on the card will result in a $10 administrative fee. The administrative fee will be collected from anglers when they acquire a subsequent Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement.

(7) Any person possessing a paper or electronic catch record card must show their card to any fish and wildlife officer, ex-officio fish and wildlife officer or authorized department employee who asks to inspect the card.

(8) A paper or electronic catch record card must not be transferred, borrowed, altered, or loaned to another person, except as authorized under RCW 77.32.565.

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 220-310-020

Decodified by WSR 17-05-112, Filed 2/15/2017, effective 3/18/2017. Recodified from § 220-56-175. Amended by WSR 18-21-059, Filed 10/9/2018, effective 11/9/2018 Amended by WSR 23-23-045, Filed 11/6/2023, effective 12/7/2023