Checked with WDFW LE

The requirement for having a descender device on board in the ocean fisheries will go into effect July 1. There will be an emergency regulation coming out in June and the WAC will be updated to reflect the requirement for all saltwater areas. Would have been a whole lot easier had the regulation as originally drafted and presented to the Commission been passed.


Use of a descender will save a lot of rockfish and is critical when one encounters any of the listed species. I hope if anyone encountered the listed species during the halibut fishery that they had a descender on board.