Shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery — Limited entry fishery — License analogous to personal property — Transferability — Alternate operator.
RCW 77.70.420
in effect(1) The shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery is a limited entry fishery and a person shall not fish for nonspot shrimp taken from Puget Sound for commercial purposes with shrimp trawl gear except under the provisions of a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license issued under RCW 77.65.220 . (2) A shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license shall only be issued to a natural person who held a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license during the previous licensing year, except upon the death of the licensee the license shall be treated as analogous to personal property for purposes of inheritance and intestacy. Upon the death of the licensee, the shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license is converted to a nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license for purposes of inheritance and intestacy. (3) No more than one shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license may be owned by a licensee. (4) Through December 31, 2001, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery licenses are nontransferable, except upon death of the licensee. Beginning January 1, 2002, through July 31, 2025, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licenses are transferable. Beginning August 1, 2025, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery licenses are only transferable if the license is converted to a nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license. (5) Through December 31, 2001, a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator for the license. Beginning January 1, 2002, a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licensee may designate only an immediate family member, as defined in RCW 77.12.047 , or an immediate family member of a shrimp trawl-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 immediate family member from participating in the fishery. The two-year period may be extended by the director upon recommendation of a department-appointed Puget Sound shrimp trawl advisory board. A licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator by requesting the Puget Sound shrimp trawl advisory board to designate an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member, and upon recommendation of the Puget Sound shrimp trawl advisory board, the director may allow designation of an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member. (6) A holder of a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license issued under RCW 77.65.220 may harvest members of the nonspot shrimp species within the waters of Puget Sound. (7) No more than one shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license or nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license may be owned by a licensee. (8) The combined number of shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery licenses and nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses issued under RCW 77.65.220 is limited to five licenses in total.
(1) The shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery is a limited entry fishery and a person shall not fish for nonspot shrimp taken from Puget Sound for commercial purposes with shrimp trawl gear except under the provisions of a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license issued under RCW 77.65.220 .
(2) A shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license shall only be issued to a natural person who held a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license during the previous licensing year, except upon the death of the licensee the license shall be treated as analogous to personal property for purposes of inheritance and intestacy. Upon the death of the licensee, the shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license is converted to a nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license for purposes of inheritance and intestacy.
(3) No more than one shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license may be owned by a licensee.
(4) Through December 31, 2001, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery licenses are nontransferable, except upon death of the licensee. Beginning January 1, 2002, through July 31, 2025, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licenses are transferable. Beginning August 1, 2025, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery licenses are only transferable if the license is converted to a nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license.
(5) Through December 31, 2001, a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator for the license. Beginning January 1, 2002, a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licensee may designate only an immediate family member, as defined in RCW 77.12.047 , or an immediate family member of a shrimp trawl-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 immediate family member from participating in the fishery. The two-year period may be extended by the director upon recommendation of a department-appointed Puget Sound shrimp trawl advisory board. A licensee may designate any natural person as the alternate operator by requesting the Puget Sound shrimp trawl advisory board to designate an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member, and upon recommendation of the Puget Sound shrimp trawl advisory board, the director may allow designation of an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member.
(6) A holder of a shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license issued under RCW 77.65.220 may harvest members of the nonspot shrimp species within the waters of Puget Sound.
(7) No more than one shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery license or nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery license may be owned by a licensee.
(8) The combined number of shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery licenses and nonspot shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses issued under RCW 77.65.220 is limited to five licenses in total.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.70&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026