Puget Sound Crab Ass'n v. State

300 P.3d 448, 174 Wash. App. 572
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedApril 23, 2013
DocketNo. 42718-4-II
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 300 P.3d 448 (Puget Sound Crab Ass'n v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Puget Sound Crab Ass'n v. State, 300 P.3d 448, 174 Wash. App. 572 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Penoyar, J.

¶1 — The Puget Sound Crab Association (PSCA)1 is challenging the new Puget Sound Dungeness crab management policy, C-3609, and the rule defining the recreational crab season, WAC 220-56-330, as promulgated by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department). The policy and rule expand the recreational season by adding an additional day a week to the recreational harvesting schedule. PSCA argues that (1) the Department violated its statutory duty under RCW 77.04.012 to improve commercial fishing and to seek to maintain the economic well-being and stability of the fishing industry, (2) the Department acted arbitrarily and capriciously, and (3) PSCA is entitled to attorney fees. We hold that the Department did not violate RCW 77.04.012 because (1) it must allocate a finite resource and it owes a duty to both recreational and commercial harvesters and (2) the fishing industry includes both recreational and commercial harvesters. Additionally, [576]*576the Department did not act arbitrarily and capriciously, and PSCA is not entitled to attorney fees.

FACTS

¶2 There are three groups that harvest Puget Sound Dungeness crab: tribes with treaty rights, commercial harvesters, and recreational harvesters. Every year, the Department and the tribes look at past harvest trends to forecast the amount of harvestable crab. The tribes are allotted half of this amount, and the state is allotted the other half. The state must allocate its share between recreational and commercial harvesters.

¶3 In 1982, the state capped the number of Puget Sound commercial permits at 249. The state has not capped the number of recreational permits, and the number of recreational harvesters has doubled between 2001 and 2010. The recreational season is in the summer, and the commercial season begins in October, after the recreational season closes. Additionally, the Department allows a winter recreational season if enough remains of the state’s allocation. There is some variance in seasons based on geography.

¶4 Because of complaints from both recreational and commercial crab harvesters, the Department revised its Puget Sound crab management policy in 2010. The former policy, adopted in 2000 and modified by regulations in 2004, had established harvest targets for recreational harvesters, restricted recreational harvesting to four days a week— Wednesday through Saturday — and imposed a five crab daily bag limit. Recreational harvesters often exceeded the harvest targets, resulting in a reduced share for the commercial harvesters, who harvest after the close of the recreational season. Since the Department implemented the 2000 policy, the commercial harvest has been approximately 68 percent of the state’s allocation and the recreational harvest has been approximately 32 percent. Both recreational and commercial harvesters complained about [577]*577this policy, and a state auditor review recommended that the Department clarify its policy on the commercial/recreational allocation. The Department responded by beginning a policy review.

¶5 In October 2010, the Department adopted a new crab management policy, C-3609, after nine months of discussion, public hearings, and public comment. The policy allows a five day a week recreational season — including both weekend days — from July to Labor Day, a five crab daily bag limit, and a seven day a week winter season. This policy differs from the former policy in that it adds an extra day a week in the summer season and it lacks recreational harvest targets. The new policy also requires the Department to provide an annual report summarizing the commercial and recreational harvests and regulation compliance. The policy guidelines focus on conservation and public education to increase compliance with fishing regulations.

¶6 As a first step in implementing the new policy, the Department adopted the recreational season rule, WAC 220-56-330. The rule allows recreational crab harvesting from July 1 though Labor Day, Thursday through Monday of each week. This adds an additional weekend day to the previous rule. There continues to be some variation to the seasons based on geography. The rule does not include a recreational winter season, but the Department will consider one each year, based on the summer harvest, and establish the parameters using an emergency rule.

¶7 In promulgating the rule, the Department considered the rule’s conservation and economic impact as required under RCW 77.04.012, which states that the Department “shall conserve . . . shellfish resources” and “shall seek to maintain the economic well-being and stability of the fishing industry.” For its conservation analysis, the Department relied on a state performance audit and its own compliance surveys. As part of the new crab management policy, the Department will increase public outreach and education and implement an adaptive management process that re[578]*578quires annual compliance and fishery performance reports. For its economic analysis, the Department relied on catch data, catch value data from commercial harvesters, and a report from TCW Economics discussing the economic impact of recreational fishing in Washington. The Department considers both recreational and commercial harvesters as part of the “fishing industry” whose economic interests it is mandated to protect under RCW 77.04.012. Administrative Record (AR) at 5. The Department projected that the new policy and rule would result in an increase of recreational crab harvested, an increase in the personal income associated with recreational crabbing, a slight decrease in the ex-vessel value for the commercial harvesters, and a possible 52 percent to 48 percent ratio of commercial to recreational harvesting — a shift from the historic 68 percent to 32 percent ratio.

¶8 PSCA challenged the new policy and rule in the superior court, alleging that the Department exceeded its legislative authority and acted arbitrarily and capriciously. The superior court affirmed the validity of the rule and the policy. PSCA appeals.

ANALYSIS

¶9 PSCA argues that the Department acted arbitrarily and capriciously and outside of its legislative authority when it adopted the new Puget Sound crab management policy and accompanying rule. We disagree.

I. Standard op Review

¶10 In a proceeding involving review of a rule, the reviewing court shall declare the rule invalid only if it finds that (1) the rule violates constitutional provisions, (2) the rule exceeds the agency’s statutory authority, (3) the rule was adopted without compliance with statutory rule-making procedures, or (4) the rule is arbitrary and capricious. RCW 34.05.570(2)(c). The party asserting the rule’s inva[579]*579lidity bears the burden of demonstrating the invalidity. RCW 34.05.570(l)(a).

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Related

Puget Sound Harvesters Ass'n v. Department of Fish & Wildlife
332 P.3d 1046 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
300 P.3d 448, 174 Wash. App. 572, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/puget-sound-crab-assn-v-state-washctapp-2013.