Washington Administrative Code
Title 220 - Fish and Wildlife, Department of
WILDLIFE
Chapter 220-460 - Commercial whale watching
Section 220-460-120 - Time limitations on watching southern resident killer whales
Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) It is unlawful for an operator of a motorized commercial whale watching vessel to approach within one-half nautical mile of a southern resident killer whale between October 1st and June 30th.
(2) It is unlawful for an operator of a motorized commercial whale watching vessel to approach within one-half nautical mile of a southern resident killer whale outside these time periods: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from July 1st through September 30th.
(3) If any motorized commercial whale watching vessel designated under a commercial whale watching business license enters within the vicinity of a southern resident killer whale between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., no vessels operating under that business license may enter the vicinity of a southern resident killer whale after 12:00 p.m. on the same day.
(4) If an operator of a motorized commercial whale watching vessel enters within one-half nautical mile of a group of killer whales outside of the provisions in this section, after taking reasonable measures to determine whether the killer whales were southern resident killer whales, and then identifies the whales as southern resident killer whales, the operator must: