(1) The following commercial salmon fishery licenses are required for the license holder to use the specified gear to fish for salmon in state waters. Only a person who meets the qualifications of RCW 77.70.090 may hold a license listed in this subsection. The licenses and their annual fees and surcharges under RCW 77.95.090 are:

	Fishery	Resident	Nonresident	Surcharge
	License	Fee	Fee
(a)	Salmon Gill Net -- Grays Harbor-Columbia river	$380	$685	plus $100
(b)	Salmon Gill Net -- Puget Sound	$380	$685	plus $100
(c)	Salmon Gill Net -- Willapa Bay-Columbia river	$380	$685	plus $100
(d)	Salmon purse seine	$530	$985	plus $100
(e)	Salmon reef net	$380	$685	plus $100
(f)	Salmon troll	$380	$685	plus $100

     (2) A license issued under this section authorizes no taking or delivery of salmon or other food fish unless a vessel is designated under RCW 77.65.100.

     (3) Holders of commercial salmon fishery licenses may retain incidentally caught food fish other than salmon, subject to rules of the department.

     (4) A salmon troll license includes a salmon delivery license.

     (5) A salmon gill net license authorizes the taking of salmon only in the geographical area for which the license is issued. The geographical designations in subsection (1) of this section have the following meanings:

     (a) "Puget Sound" includes waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Georgia Strait, Puget Sound and all bays, inlets, canals, coves, sounds, and estuaries lying easterly and southerly of the international boundary line and a line at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca projected northerly from Cape Flattery to the lighthouse on Tatoosh Island and then to Bonilla Point on Vancouver Island.

     (b) "Grays Harbor-Columbia river" includes waters of Grays Harbor and tributary estuaries lying easterly of a line projected northerly from Point Chehalis Light to Point Brown and those waters of the Columbia river and tributary sloughs and estuaries easterly of a line at the entrance to the Columbia river projected southerly from the most westerly point of the North jetty to the most westerly point of the South jetty.

     (c) "Willapa Bay-Columbia river" includes waters of Willapa Bay and tributary estuaries and easterly of a line projected northerly from Leadbetter Point to the Cape Shoalwater tower and those waters of the Columbia river and tributary sloughs described in (b) of this subsection.

     (6) A commercial salmon troll fishery license may be renewed under this section if the license holder notifies the department by May 1st of that year that he or she will not participate in the fishery during that calendar year. A commercial salmon gill net, reef net, or seine fishery license may be renewed under this section if the license holder notifies the department before the third Monday in September of that year that he or she will not participate in the fishery during that calendar year. The license holder must pay the one hundred-dollar enhancement surcharge, plus a fifteen-dollar handling charge before the third Monday in September, in order to be considered a valid renewal and eligible to renew the license the following year.

     (7) Notwithstanding the annual license fees and surcharges established in subsection (1) of this section, a person who holds a resident commercial salmon fishery license shall pay an annual license fee of one hundred dollars plus the surcharge if all of the following conditions are met:

     (a) The license holder is at least seventy-five years of age;

     (b) The license holder owns a fishing vessel and has fished with a resident commercial salmon fishery license for at least thirty years; and

     (c) The commercial salmon fishery license is for a geographical area other than the Puget Sound.

     An alternate operator may not be designated for a license renewed at the one hundred dollar annual fee under this subsection (7).

[2001 c 244 § 1; 2000 c 107 § 37; 1997 c 76 § 1; 1996 c 267 § 28; 1993 sp.s. c 17 § 35; (1993 c 340 § 12 repealed by 1993 sp.s. c 17 § 47); 1989 c 316 § 3; 1985 c 107 § 1; 1983 1st ex.s. c 46 § 113; 1965 ex.s. c 73 § 2; 1959 c 309 § 10; 1955 c 12 § 75.28.110. Prior: 1951 c 271 § 9; 1949 c 112 § 69(1); Rem. Supp. 1949 § 5780-507(1). Formerly RCW 75.28.110.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1997 c 76: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [April 19, 1997]." [1997 c 76 § 3.]

     Intent -- Effective date -- 1996 c 267: See notes following RCW 77.12.177.

     Contingent effective date -- 1993 sp.s. c 17 §§ 34-47: See note following RCW 77.65.020.

     Finding -- Contingent effective date -- Severability -- 1993 sp.s. c 17: See notes following RCW 77.32.520.

Limitations on issuance of commercial salmon fishing licenses: RCW 77.70.090.