Shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery — Limited entry fishery — License analogous to personal property — Transferability — Alternate operator designation.
RCW 77.70.410
in effect(1) The shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery is a limited entry fishery and a person shall not fish for spot shrimp or nonspot shrimp taken from Puget Sound for commercial purposes with shrimp pot gear except under the provisions of a shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license issued under RCW 77.65.220 . (2) A shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license shall only be issued to a natural person who held a shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license during the previous year, except upon the death of the licensee the license shall be treated as analogous to personal property for purposes of inheritance and intestacy. (3) No more than two shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses may be owned by a licensee. The licensee must transfer the second license into the licensee's name, and designate on the second license the same vessel as is designated on the first license at the time of the transfer. Licensees who hold two shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses may not transfer one of the two licenses for a 12-month period beginning on the date the second license is transferred to the licensee, but the licensee may transfer both licenses to another natural person. The nontransferability provisions of this subsection start anew for the receiver of the two licenses. Licensees who hold two shrimp pot-Puget sound fishery licenses may fish one and one-half times the maximum number of pots allowed for Puget Sound shrimp, and may retain and land one and one-half times the maximum catch limits established for Puget Sound shrimp taken with shellfish pot gear. (4) Through December 31, 2001, shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses are transferable only to a current shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licensee, or upon death of the licensee. Beginning January 1, 2002, shrimp pot-Puget Sound commercial fishery licenses are transferable, except holders of two shrimp pot-Puget Sound licenses are subject to nontransferability provisions as provided for in this section. (5) Through December 31, 2001, a shrimp pot-Puget Sound licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator for the license. Beginning January 1, 2002, a shrimp pot-Puget Sound licensee may designate only an immediate family member, as defined in RCW 77.12.047 , or the immediate family member of a shrimp pot-Puget Sound licensee's spouse as the alternate operator with the following exceptions: A licensee with a bona fide medical emergency may designate a person other than an immediate family member as the alternate operator for a period not to exceed two years, provided the licensee documents the medical emergency with letters from two medical doctors describing the illness or condition that prevents the licensee from participating in the fishery. The two-year period may be extended by the director upon recommendation of a department-appointed Puget Sound shrimp pot advisory board. A licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator by requesting the Puget Sound shrimp pot advisory board to designate an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member, and upon recommendation of the Puget Sound shrimp pot advisory board, the director may allow designation of an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member.
(1) The shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery is a limited entry fishery and a person shall not fish for spot shrimp or nonspot shrimp taken from Puget Sound for commercial purposes with shrimp pot gear except under the provisions of a shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license issued under RCW 77.65.220 .
(2) A shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license shall only be issued to a natural person who held a shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license during the previous year, except upon the death of the licensee the license shall be treated as analogous to personal property for purposes of inheritance and intestacy.
(3) No more than two shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses may be owned by a licensee. The licensee must transfer the second license into the licensee's name, and designate on the second license the same vessel as is designated on the first license at the time of the transfer. Licensees who hold two shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses may not transfer one of the two licenses for a 12-month period beginning on the date the second license is transferred to the licensee, but the licensee may transfer both licenses to another natural person. The nontransferability provisions of this subsection start anew for the receiver of the two licenses. Licensees who hold two shrimp pot-Puget sound fishery licenses may fish one and one-half times the maximum number of pots allowed for Puget Sound shrimp, and may retain and land one and one-half times the maximum catch limits established for Puget Sound shrimp taken with shellfish pot gear.
(4) Through December 31, 2001, shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses are transferable only to a current shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licensee, or upon death of the licensee. Beginning January 1, 2002, shrimp pot-Puget Sound commercial fishery licenses are transferable, except holders of two shrimp pot-Puget Sound licenses are subject to nontransferability provisions as provided for in this section.
(5) Through December 31, 2001, a shrimp pot-Puget Sound licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator for the license. Beginning January 1, 2002, a shrimp pot-Puget Sound licensee may designate only an immediate family member, as defined in RCW 77.12.047 , or the immediate family member of a shrimp pot-Puget Sound licensee's spouse as the alternate operator with the following exceptions: A licensee with a bona fide medical emergency may designate a person other than an immediate family member as the alternate operator for a period not to exceed two years, provided the licensee documents the medical emergency with letters from two medical doctors describing the illness or condition that prevents the licensee from participating in the fishery. The two-year period may be extended by the director upon recommendation of a department-appointed Puget Sound shrimp pot advisory board. A licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator by requesting the Puget Sound shrimp pot advisory board to designate an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member, and upon recommendation of the Puget Sound shrimp pot advisory board, the director may allow designation of an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.70&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026