WAC 220-52-07300Y Sea Urchins
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-073, effective immediately until further notice, it is unlawful to take or possess sea urchins taken for commercial purposes except as provided for in this section:
(1) Green sea urchins: Sea Urchin Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 are open seven days-per-week.
(2) Red sea urchins: Sea Urchin Districts 1, 2 and 4 are open seven days-per-week. In Sea Urchin Districts 1, 2 and 4 it is unlawful to harvest red sea urchins smaller than 3.25 inches or larger than 5.0 inches (size in largest test diameter exclusive of spines).
(3) It is unlawful to dive for any purpose from a commercially licensed sea urchin fishing vessel in Sea Urchin District 3 when the vessel has red sea urchins on-board.
Sea Urchin Districts 6 & 7, the South/Central Puget Sound Area, is closed to the harvest of green sea urchins for the remainder of the 2011-2012 harvest management period.
Please be advised, an important harvest management change has been made regarding the harvest size limits for red sea urchins in Sea Urchin Management Districts 1 and 2, the combined San Juan Island area. Based on recent size distribution data and by agreement with co-managing Tribes, the legal size limits in the San Juan Island area have been lowered to 3.25 inch minimum to 5.0 inch maximum. This harvest size limit matches that of the Strait of Juan de Fuca harvest areas and creates a uniform statewide red urchin size limit.
Sea Urchin
Harvest Area |
2011-2012
State Share (pounds) |
Preliminary
Landings (pounds) |
| Green Urchins |
| Districts 1 & 2 (San Juan Island Area) |
175,000 |
66,640 |
| District 3 & 4 (Strait Area, excluding Neah Bay) |
50,000 |
16,510 |
| District 5 (Neah Bay Area) |
Closed until further notice |
n/a |
| Districts 6 & 7 (South/Central Puget Sound Area) |
Closed for season |
0 |
| Red Urchins |
| Districts 1 & 2 (San Juan Island Area) |
174,450 |
96,378 |
| District 3 (Port Angeles Area) |
Closed until further notice |
n/a |
| District 4 (Sekiu Area) |
43,227 |
2,465 |
| District 5 (Neah Bay Area) |
Closed until further notice |
n/a |
