(1) A person shall not commercially take whiting from areas that the department designates within the waters described in RCW 77.65.160(5)(a) without a whiting-Puget Sound fishery license.

(2) A whiting-Puget Sound fishery license may be issued only to an individual who:

(a) Delivered at least fifty thousand pounds of whiting during the period from January 1, 1981, through February 22, 1985, as verified by fish delivery tickets;

(b) Possessed, on January 1, 1986, all equipment necessary to fish for whiting; and

(c) Held a whiting-Puget Sound fishery license during the previous year or acquired such a license by transfer from someone who held it during the previous year.

(3) After January 1, 1995, the director shall issue no new whiting-Puget Sound fishery licenses. After January 1, 1995, only an individual who meets the following qualifications may renew an existing license: The individual shall have held the license sought to be renewed during the previous year or acquired the license by transfer from someone who held it during the previous year, and shall not have subsequently transferred the license to another person.

(4) Whiting-Puget Sound fishery licenses may be renewed each year. A whiting-Puget Sound fishery license that is not renewed each year shall not be renewed further.

Finding, intent—Captions not law—Effective date—Severability—1993 c 340: See notes following RCW 77.65.010.