(1) The shrimp trawl-Puget Sound fishery is a limited entry fishery and a person shall not fish for 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.

(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, shrimp trawl-Puget Sound licenses are transferable.

(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, as the alternate operator. 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 advisory board. If the licensee has no immediate family member who is capable of operating the license, the licensee may make a request to the Puget Sound shrimp advisory board to designate an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member, and upon recommendation of the Puget Sound shrimp advisory board, the director may allow designation of an alternate operator who is not an immediate family member.

Finding—Purpose—Intent—1999 c 239: See note following RCW 77.65.220.